Barney Donalson Killed by Pickup Truck on FM 2978 in Montgomery County, TX
UPDATE (October 12, 2021): Reports have identified the victim of this accident as 73-year-old Barney Joe Donalson.
Montgomery County, TX -- September 26, 2021, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a pickup truck in the lanes of Farm to Market Road 2978 in Montgomery County.
Authorities say the incident happened shortly before 10:15 p.m. along FM 2978 near Prine. Preliminary investigation suggests a Chevrolet pickup truck was traveling south on the roadway, just south of Woodlands Parkway, when it struck a male pedestrian who was walking in the road outside a construction area.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation but authorities say the driver showed no signs of impairment.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Barney Donalson Auto-Pedestrian Accident on FM 2978 in Montgomery County
There aren't many details surrounding this tragic event, but some folks may be quick to jump to conclusions. Folks see a pedestrian hit in the roadway while it's dark out and assume that person was somewhere he shouldn't have been. It's true that many auto-pedestrian accidents happen that way, and I wouldn't suggest ignoring the possibility when figuring out what happened. But could there be more to the story?
Even if a pedestrian is walking somewhere dangerous, drivers still have a general responsibility to avoid accidents if reasonably possible. If the driver could have seen and avoided the pedestrian, why didn't they? If the pedestrian was somewhere the driver couldn't avoid them, why was the pedestrian there? Authorities say the driver did not show signs of impairment, but as a matter of due diligence did they also test samples from the victim? That's not to make any accusations or speculate, but some pedestrians end up in the wrong place at the wrong time when they become disoriented while under the influence.
At the end of the day, asking these questions isn't about speculating or gossip--quite the opposite. It's about getting answers and making sure the truth of this matter is identified. That often means evaluating all the possible contributing factors even if only to rule them out. Whatever happened here, making sure the victim's loved ones know the full story should be a priority.
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