A firefighter wasn't responsible for the death of a pedestrian who was struck and killed by his fire engine, police have concluded.
Michelle Dailey, 38, of Columbus, was hit Sept. 6 at a downtown intersection while heading to a doctor's appointment. She died 11 days later.
Police said that Dailey wasn't in the crosswalk as she should have been. No witnesses came forward, but detectives said they were able to determine her position through evidence found on the street and the fire engine.
"Physical evidence only supports that at impact Ms. Dailey was well outside the crosswalk," detective Mark A. Rice said.
Rice also calculated that the victim stepped off the curb after the fire engine turned at the intersection. The city's traffic code instructs pedestrians not to walk or run into the path of a vehicle.
Rookie firefighter Justin Barr told investigators he didn't see anyone crossing the street as he made the turn. He said he heard a "thud," looked in the mirror and saw a woman lying in the street.
Barr was not on an emergency run at the time but was on his way to pick up two firefighters from an earlier call.
Previous Stories:
- September 18, 2005: Woman Dies After Being Hit By Fire Truck
- September 7, 2005: Woman Now 'Critical' After Being Hit By Fire Truck
- September 6, 2005: Woman Struck By Fire Truck
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