Truck Hits, Kills Man On East Gentry Parkway Bridge
(Staff Photo by Tom Turner)
Tyler Police investigate the scene of an accident Wednesday in which a man was killed when struck by a truck, police said.
By MALENA OGLES
Staff Writer
A man walking across the East Gentry Parkway overpass was struck and killed Wednesday by an 18-wheel tractor-trailer.
Staff Writer
A man walking across the East Gentry Parkway overpass was struck and killed Wednesday by an 18-wheel tractor-trailer.
Police said the 18-wheeler was traveling southbound on the overpass a little after 7 p.m., when a Hispanic male walked directly in front of the truck.
He died at the scene according to police and witnesses.
He died at the scene according to police and witnesses.
“We do not have a name or age yet, but are working to locate and notify family members,” Tyler Police Department Sgt. Bobby Perkins said by telephone Wednesday.
Ricky Martinez, 12, of Tyler said he was playing soccer outside with his friends when he saw the red and blue flashes from police car appear on top of the bridge.
Curious, he and his seven friends went to inspect the scene.
Curious, he and his seven friends went to inspect the scene.
“We saw the truck and thought he was stopped for drugs or having drugs in the back,” Martinez said.
What they saw was a man laying in the middle of the road, crushed by a semi.
“It was crazy. He was there all dead and stuff,” the boy said.
What they saw was a man laying in the middle of the road, crushed by a semi.
“It was crazy. He was there all dead and stuff,” the boy said.
(Staff Photo By Tom Turner)
Children play with a soccer ball at the base of the bridge on Beckham while Tyler Police investigate the scene of an accident on Wednesday.
More police came and the group of children went back to their game, stopping to tell anyone who walked by what they had seen.
Tyler Police Department cruisers blocked traffic starting at East Line Street to East Valentine Street while officials looked into the cause of the crash.
At 10 p.m. that night, the overpass remained closed and accident investigators were still on scene gathering information.
Tyler Police Department cruisers blocked traffic starting at East Line Street to East Valentine Street while officials looked into the cause of the crash.
At 10 p.m. that night, the overpass remained closed and accident investigators were still on scene gathering information.
Another witness said he was in his car driving to his shop to pick up a wrench when screeching breaks caught his attention. Initially, the man thought the semi had hit a car, but found out otherwise when he reached the crash site.
“He was laying in the center of the bridge, he had to have walked out in traffic,” the man said. “It was really bad.”
“He was laying in the center of the bridge, he had to have walked out in traffic,” the man said. “It was really bad.”
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