Pedestrian struck, killed by vehicle in Savannah
A pedestrian was killed Sunday night when he was hit by a minivan in Savannah.
According to city police, Donnie R. Cummings, 58, 105 Fairgrounds St., was in a dark area on Fairgrounds Street close to Savannah Florist at the intersection of Wayne Road when he was struck at about 8:12 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the blue 2006 Chrysler minivan, Bobby W. Neill, 33, of Savannah, said he was traveling north on Fairgrounds when suddenly he struck a subject who was bent over in the road. Neill told police he stopped at the nearby flower shop after slowing down and hearing someone shout, and ran back to where Cummings was lying in the roadway.
The crash report says Cummings had injuries to his head, legs and ribs and was unresponsive when police arrived within three minutes of the time of the incident.
The report notes that the nearest street light was not lit, and that pieces of a red cooler were lying near Cummings, along with a half-empty plastic beer bottle on the curb, broken brown glass from another bottle, and cigarettes from a carton which had been broken and scattered. A piece of the cooler was under the van’s passenger-side tire and the van had damage to the passenger-side headlight.
Neill said his headlights were on while he was driving. The report additionally notes that Neill advised that “his brakes required him to mash down hard to stop.”
No charges were immediately filed and the investigation into the fatal crash is continuing, police said.
Thank you for bringing such immediate local news to our attention.
Thanks for supporting community journalism, Martha.
That’s so sad. It sounds like the way the report reads that he was not visible until the last second if at all. It’s sad to hear of any human life being lost. Condolences to the family.
I wonder if the driver was on his phone? I am sorry but how do you not see a person in the road? SO SAD. R.I.P. Donnie
It was dark and it states the street light was not lit, ive been down that rd and many others in town and you dont see objects until you get right up on them, i wouldnt go wondering about anything like that and get everyone else making assumptions until details are clear. Plus if he was bent down it would make it harder to see him in the dark. Patterson rd is jut as bad at night, especially when pedestrians are walking and wearing dark clothing, im not on my phone while driving, im paying attention and still dont see a person until a few feet in front of them.