Pedestrian falls front of tow truck (CA)

[TowNews]

Pedestrian crossing south Sacramento street in dark struck, killed by tow truck, CHP says

 

A 64-year-old man was struck and killed by a tow truck Tuesday night in south Sacramento, with witnesses telling authorities the pedestrian had fallen down in the roadway outside of a crosswalk before he was hit.

 

The fatal crash was reported shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Fruitridge Road near 49th Street, the California Highway Patrol’s South Sacramento office said in a news release Wednesday morning.

 

Two witnesses observed a pedestrian, who was wearing dark clothes, crossing Fruitridge Road outside of a crosswalk when he fell down in the eastbound fast lane, according to the news release.

 

A flatbed tow truck traveling at around 40 mph was unable to avoid the man lying in the roadway, according to the CHP. The driver braked but did not see the pedestrian in the darkness until the last moment, striking him, the news release said.

 

The man succumbed to injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by Sacramento Fire Department personnel, according to the news release.

 

Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors in the collision, and no arrests were announced by the CHP.

 

The victim’s identity will be released by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office pending notification of family.

 

The CHP South Sacramento office reminded pedestrians to use crosswalks, follow traffic signals and take caution when crossing the street at night. Authorities also recommend wearing light-colored or reflective clothing, or carrying a flashlight, to make yourself visible to vehicle traffic.

 

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NOTE: Our Thought's & Prayers Go Out for the tragic loss of life. However, we must continue those Thought's & Prayers to the Tow Truck Driver who has been impacted by such a tragic event. Many of us fear this regularly as we have pedestrians walk out in front of us, often wearing dark clothing.

 

[yoBdaBenO]

My Worse Fear as nearly every week someone tempts fate and walks across the street in front of me. It's like trying to beat a train!

[GRUMPS The Towman]

My god... What a tragic accident. I cant begin to imagine what the operator is going through.

[rreschran]

While I too am sensitive to this unfortunate incident, there's a reality that regardless of one's means to take their life, any vehicle could be that means as it proved true in San Diego County several years ago. A female, chose death by tow truck and stepped from a highway's center divider into the path of a carrier ending in fatal results. In May 2019, I wrote a mini-article for American Towman entitled, "Suicide by Tow Truck", relating to the uptick in pedestrians versus tow truck deaths. In my research, I found a 2003 investigational study by, Australia’s, Monash University’s, Accident Research Center, entitled, “Suicide and Natural Deaths in Road Traffic,” it reported, “It has been shown that in many of these cases there was a history of mental illness, and the presence of alcohol use. One study identified the main mode of suicide among pedestrians was to walk or jump into the path of a heavy vehicle.”  The tow operator should know that there's nothing they could have done. If they need someone to talk to about this experience, please feel free to contact me.     R.