UPDATE: Elderly man struck, killed by pickup near Esther Short Park
By Patty Hastings, Columbian
Social Services, Demographics, Faith
Published: August 23, 2012, 5:00pm
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An elderly man was struck and killed by a vehicle as he crossed West Eighth Street on a mobility scooter shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday night.
An elderly man was killed Thursday when he was hit by a pickup while crossing West Eighth Street in Vancouver on a motorized scooter.
The crash occurred shortly after 7 p.m. in a crosswalk leading to Esther Short Park, where the Vancouver Wine and Jazz Festival’s free Jazz Education Night concert — an alcohol-free event — had started an hour earlier.
James Lampers, 14, said he heard someone yell, “Watch out!” just before the man was struck by the pickup, a Dodge Dakota. The man was thrown out of the scooter and onto the street.
Witness Neal Sherry, 65, said the man who had been driving the pickup got out and started doing chest compressions on the elderly man. Then a Vancouver police officer took over.
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Vancouver Fire Department Capt. David James said paramedics who arrived on scene determined the man could not be saved.
“It just kind of shakes you up when it’s right in your front yard,” said Sherry, who lives across the street from the park. “People drive through here somewhat quickly sometimes.”
James said the driver of the pickup remained on scene and was cooperating with authorities.
The names of the victim and the driver were not available Thursday evening. The Vancouver Police Department’s traffic unit is investigating the crash.
