A 56-year-old man from the Galten area died Friday morning after being hit by a truck on Aarhusvej. Police say the 34-year-old truck driver had no chance to avoid the collision.
Avisen Danmark reports that the collision took place on Aarhusvej near Galten on Friday morning. The pedestrian, a 56-year-old local man, died at the scene, according to police commissioner Nicolaj Rasmussen of Sydøstjyllands Politi.
Per the police account given to Avisen Danmark, the man walked directly out in front of the truck when it was two to three meters away. The driver braked hard but could not avoid hitting him. The man was thrown about 50 meters and was dead at the scene.
According to the driver’s statement, as relayed by police, the man had been walking on a bicycle path running alongside the road. He was moving in the same direction as the truck and pulling a bicycle. He then turned out into the roadway without looking, the driver told police.
Rasmussen stated that the truck was traveling at about 70 km/h on a straight stretch of road with good visibility. He called the case tragic. The driver has not been charged, but police said they must still establish how the accident could happen.
What other outlets reported
BT reported that Sydøstjyllands Politi was called to Århusvej in Galten at 08:25 on Friday morning. BT described the victim as a 56-year-old man on a bicycle. It added that police called in a vehicle inspector and that the road was closed before later reopening.
Ekstra Bladet also described the man as a cyclist and said his next of kin had been notified. The outlet reported that the road was blocked while investigators worked at the site. Police asked witnesses and relatives to contact Offerrådgivningen for support, Ekstra Bladet noted.
The accounts differ on one detail. Avisen Danmark describes the victim as a pedestrian walking with a bicycle, while BT and Ekstra Bladet describe him as a cyclist. The discrepancy has not been resolved in the available coverage.
Byen Horsens, citing TV 2 Østjylland and police, reported that the truck ended up across the road after the impact. An investigator was called in to examine the cause of the fatal crash, the outlet said. It added that the area was affected by several hours of police work and investigation.
Sydøstjyllands Politi said possible witnesses can contact the police on telephone 114.
