A tragic incident occurred early Tuesday morning in South Columbus when a man was fatally struck by a garbage truck. The victim, identified as 52-year-old Kevin Courts, was in the roadway on Corr Road when he was hit by the approaching vehicle. According to ABC6, the accident took place just after 4 a.m. near Lockbourne Road.
Details leading up to the accident are sparse, but a report from Columbus police, quoted by NBC4i, states that for unknown reasons, Courts was standing in the middle of the westbound lane when an unidentified vehicle swerved to avoid hitting him. It was then that the garbage truck, in its attempt to evade the Courts, struck him. Police said the initial avoidance maneuver occurred at 4:02 a.m., right before the crash.
The victim, Kevin Courts, was hastily transported to Grant Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. The stretch of road where the accident occurred, nestled in between Parsons Avenue and Lockbourne Road near the Far South train yard, has not been noted for frequent pedestrian traffic, and questions linger concerning why Courts was in the roadway at such an hour.
As authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led to this fatal encounter, no charges have been filed at the time of reporting. This incident adds to a continuing conversation around pedestrian safety and the cohabitation of residential streets with industrial traffic. An ongoing investigation is expected to provide more clarity on this matter, according to a statement obtained by NBC4i.
