A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper inadvertently drove over a man lying on US 41 in Robertson County, Tennessee early Sunday morning.
The THP issued a statement saying the driver of a vehicle on US 41 in Greenbrier saw what appeared to be a body lying in the road at about 2 a.m. Sunday. The driver turned around and drove back and got within 10 feet of the man while shining their headlights toward the body.
The man, later identified as 49-year old James Yates of Springfield, was only wearing blue jeans and appeared to be unresponsive. The driver then moved a little farther away from Yates and dialed 911.
While the call was in progress, THP Trooper John-Mark Tarr was on patrol in the area and was approaching the vehicle. That’s when the driver began flashing their lights at Trooper Tarr to get his attention.
As he approached the vehicle, he inadvertently drove over Yates’ body. Police say Trooper Tarr exited the cruiser not knowing what he had struck and immediately contacted dispatch to request an ambulance after realizing what had happened.
Yates was pronounced dead at the scene and it’s unknown why he was lying in the roadway.
The incident remains under investigation.