A 55-year-old Richmond man died after being struck by a pickup truck while walking along West National Road on Sunday night, and police have arrested the truck's driver on a preliminary charge tied to intoxication. The victim, identified as Timothy Pickering, was taken to a hospital but could not be saved.
Richmond police say officers responded to a serious crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian in the 600 block of West National Road, near U.S. 40 and Southwest 5th Street, according to WTHR. The crash was reported around 7:43 p.m. Sunday, according to WHIO, though Kicks 96 put the time at around 7:45 p.m., describing the location as just west of the Southwest 5th Street intersection near Roots Bistro.
A preliminary police investigation found that Pickering was walking northbound on West National Road when he was struck by an eastbound 2018 GMC Sierra, per WHIO's report. First responders performed CPR on the victim for 20 minutes but could not revive him, Kicks 96 reported. Pickering was taken to Reid Health, where he later died from his injuries, the WHIO report states.
Driver Arrested, Conflicting Details on Substance Involved
Richmond police say the truck's driver, 60-year-old Robert Tate, was arrested on a preliminary charge of operating while intoxicated causing death, according to both WTHR and the same WHIO account. Kicks 96, however, reported that Tate's blood-alcohol content was zero and that another substance was suspected of playing a role in the crash. The station also reported that Tate was taken to the Wayne County Jail, charged with OWI causing death, and had already bonded out and was free Monday morning.
Given the severity of the crash, Richmond's crash investigation team, investigative services division, and drone team all responded to the scene, per WTHR. Investigators are examining evidence and continuing to look into the circumstances surrounding the crash, the outlet reported. WTHR also noted that its newsroom, identified in its report as 13News, has a policy of not naming suspects until formal charges are filed by the prosecutor's office.
Pedestrian Deaths a Statewide Concern
The crash adds to a broader pattern flagged in state data: an Indiana traffic-safety report found that pedestrian fatalities across the state rose slightly from 107 in federal fiscal year 2023 to 120 in federal fiscal year 2024, according to a report from in.gov. A separate state report on substance use and traffic safety notes that Indiana's available data in this area are limited, with most discussion framed around the broader category of impaired driving, which includes alcohol use, per the same state agency.
Richmond police have not announced any additional details about the crash beyond the preliminary findings. The crash remains under investigation, according to WHIO, and police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or who has information to contact Sergeant Ridgway at (765) 983-7247.
