[Update 7/31: Glastonbury police have charged Rep. Kehoe with “reckless use of the highway as a pedestrian.” The driver of the truck was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, as well as operating without a license and not carrying a valid insurance card.]
According to the Hartford Courant, Glastonbury police claim that Connecticut State Rep. Thomas Kehoe “ran into” a moving truck while jogging across an intersection last weekend. Apparently, the incredible force with which the 60-year-old state representative rammed into the 8,500-pound Ford F-350 pickup truck was enough to damage the truck’s side mirror and windshield. Kehoe suffered only a fractured rib and has been relaxing in a Hartford-area hospital since the incident.
Kehoe told the Courant that he entered the crosswalk while cross-traffic was stopped at a red light and that the driver was at fault. He said that the truck started moving quickly, adding that “the guy caught me with his fender” and the driver-side mirror hit him.
The Courant article mentions only at the end that the driver had an expired license and was not carrying a valid insurance card.
Tri-State wishes Rep. Kehoe, who sponsored the state’s “Complete Streets” bill, a speedy recovery and hopes to see him up and about jogging, cycling and fighting for safer streets in Connecticut soon.
According to the police report and witness statements, the truck had the green light and “slowly began to make the turn” Kehoe ran into the intersection without stopping for the “don’t walk” sign and ran into the truck. I feel bad for the driver, he had his mirror and windshield broken. You want drivers to share the road with joggers and cyclists, then joggers and cyclists need to share too.
I don’t know if fault can be determined based on the Courant story. Sounds to me like Kehoe got caught in the crosswalk when the light changed, which could be his fault, who knows? Either way, as a responsible driver what I do (and what people are legally and morally required to do) in that situation is yield, not jump on the accelerator.
Get well soon, Rep. Kehoe!
Wait a second. He ran into the side of the truck. Somehow that sounds like he was the one at fault. Was there a walk/don’t walk light and if so what was it showing when he left the curb? Was the light green for him?