A pedestrian in Kansas City was in critical condition on Tuesday following a hit-and-run accident involving a semi-trailer with a tractor unit and trailer attached.
According to Kansas City police, the truck did not leave enough room for its load when it turned onto Wilson Avenue near the Sheffield neighborhood in East Kansas City. When the truck turned too sharply, the tractor-trailer and trailer drove over the curb, through the median and onto the sidewalk, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez, a Kansas City police spokeswoman.
The trailer struck the pedestrian, hit a telephone pole and fled. According to Gonzalez, police are still investigating whether the truck struck or ran over the pedestrian.
The pedestrian is currently in a local hospital where he is being treated for life-threatening injuries, the KCPD said. The identity of the driver remains unknown.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, 148 people died in traffic accidents in Missouri from January through the end of March 2024. During the same period in 2023, 170 people died in traffic accidents in the state.
According to MoDOT, nearly 40% of fatal traffic crashes in Missouri in 2023 occurred at intersections.
