Police ID man killed crossing Big Bend; no charges filed

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The pedestrian killed Monday at around 2 p.m. on S. Big Bend had stumbled and fallen into the wheel well of a box truck, then continued on, not knowing the man had been hit, according to Maplewood Police in a press release on Tuesday.

Police identified the victim as Albert Johnson, 62, of Maplewood. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police reported that preliminary investigation shows that Johnson crossed S. Big Bend just north of Manchester Road in an attempt to walk west towards QuikTrip. Johnson was not crossing within the marked crosswalk at the intersection.

Police reported: “As Johnson was walking west through the busy intersection, he appeared to stumble and lose his balance. Subsequently, it appears he fell into the rear section of a large box truck which was travelling south on S. Big Bend in the inside lane. The truck continued south on S. Big Bend not knowing the above events occurred involving the pedestrian. A neighboring agency located and stopped the truck less than two miles south of the original accident location. The driver of the truck cooperated with authorities. Police do not anticipate filing charges for leaving the scene of an accident, although the investigation remains ongoing.”

All lanes of S. Big Bend were closed from Flora to Rannells avenues for approximately four hours.

S. Big Bend was closed down for about four hours while police investigated the accident.

8 COMMENTS

  1. I came through there yesterday at about 10:30 am. North bound BB was down to 1 lane and it was the left turn lane onto Manchester, so you would have to go straight from the left turn lane so it was 2 or 3 cars per cycle getting through. Very frustrating and nobody was working. Sorry for the loss of Albert Johnston. Seems like the contractor needs some sort of traffic engineer working for them. Its a wonder there weren’t several auto accidents there as well. Very poor planning. I wonder if the lane closures and back-up of impatient drivers could have played a part in the deadly accident? Better call Saul!

  2. Terrible intersection – especially when construction is going on inn the morning rush and its narrowed to one lane. Surprised none of the many school kids in the area have not been hit. Maybe some type of pedestrian bridge is needed?

  3. How sad for him and his family. Please, folks on foot, as much as you can, please try to walk in cross walks where drivers are more likely to see you. Even then, accidents can happen, like with my friend with MD in a wheelchair who was struck in the crosswalk by a lady turning who didn’t see him. We drivers need to pay extra attention to the people on foot as well as our surroundings.

  4. I think the first paragraph needs editing- “then continued on” should be “that continued on”, the truck, not the pedestrian, right?

  5. I am trying to find out if this was my friend whom has died. If it is, he is a black man from Meacham Park and he has a twin.

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