An 80-year-old Amery man died after being struck by a pickup truck while crossing Keller Avenue South last Sunday evening, according to a police release. Gary D. Robbins was attempting to cross from the west side of the highway to the east side, outside of a crosswalk, when a northbound 2017 Ford F-350 hit him near the Sports & More store at 319 Keller Avenue South, which doubles as State Highway 46 through downtown Amery.
The Amery Police Department was dispatched to the scene shortly after 7 p.m. on September 27, as reported by DrydenWire.com. The Amery Fire Department and Northwestern Municipal EMS also responded to the vehicle-versus-pedestrian call, which occurred during low-light conditions, per police. Lifesaving efforts were performed both at the crash scene and later at Amery Hospital and Clinic, where Robbins was ultimately pronounced deceased.
Amery Police Chief Daniel J. Peters identified the deceased pedestrian as Robbins in a statement following the crash. The driver of the pickup truck has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation, according to the same police release relayed by DrydenWire. Per the account, the crash remains under investigation by the Amery Police Department, the Polk County Sheriff's Department, and the Wisconsin State Patrol, with assistance also provided by the Polk County Medical Examiner.
What Wisconsin Law Says About Crossing Outside a Crosswalk
Under Wisconsin Statute § 346.25, pedestrians who cross a roadway at any point other than within a marked or unmarked crosswalk are legally required to yield the right-of-way to vehicles already on the road, according to the Wisconsin Legislature. That statutory obligation is expected to factor into the joint investigation now underway, since Robbins was crossing outside a designated crosswalk when he was struck.
The circumstances of the crash echo patterns seen in fatal pedestrian collisions nationwide. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 76% of all U.S. pedestrian traffic fatalities in 2024 occurred in dark conditions, while 73% happened at non-intersection locations, according to the agency's pedestrian safety data. The Amery crash, which unfolded after dusk away from a marked crossing point, fits both risk factors closely.
A Statewide Pattern of Pedestrian Deaths
Pedestrian crashes in Wisconsin are rarely minor incidents. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation recorded 59 pedestrian deaths and 1,283 injuries across 1,385 reported pedestrian crashes statewide in 2024, according to the agency's crash data. Statewide, overall traffic fatalities actually declined from 576 in 2024 to 537 in 2025 even as total annual crashes held steady at roughly 128,800, per the department's broader statistics.
The size and shape of the vehicle involved in the Amery crash also mirrors a documented safety concern. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that pickup trucks and SUVs with hood heights exceeding 40 inches are about 45% more likely to cause fatalities in pedestrian crashes than lower, sloping passenger cars, according to the institute's research on vehicle front-end design. Separate IIHS findings published in November 2025 showed that large driver-side blind zones created by tall hoods and thick roof pillars can raise pedestrian crash risks during turning maneuvers by up to 70%.
A Commercial Corridor That Doubles as a State Highway
Keller Avenue South functions simultaneously as a local business strip and as State Highway 46 running through downtown Amery, a dual role that has previously prompted WisDOT corridor planning reviews of lane widths and turning lanes, according to a 2018 report in the Amery Free Press. That mix of foot traffic, parked cars, and through-highway speeds has long defined the corridor where Robbins was struck.
Amery is a small city where older residents make up a substantial share of the population. U.S. Census Bureau estimates put Amery's population at 2,959 in 2024, with a median age of 49.7 and residents 65 and older accounting for 27.7% of the community, according to Census Bureau data compiled by MMCG Analytics. That demographic profile places a large number of older adults within reach of a highway corridor that also serves as the town's commercial main street.
This is not the only serious crash the area has seen in recent memory. In April 2025, a separate fatal collision occurred in rural Amery at Highway 65 and County Road F, killing an 18-year-old Minnesota driver whose vehicle collided with a pickup truck, according to KROC-AM News. The investigation into Robbins's death remains active, with no additional details released on potential charges or findings as of the most recent update.
