A man was struck and killed by a vehicle early Wednesday morning while walking along Interstate 77, according to Canton Police Chief John Gabbard.
Officers responded around 3:30 a.m. to mile post 108.2 on I-77 for a report of a crash involving a pedestrian and a vehicle. Police said a 2024 Kia Sportage was traveling northbound in the right lane when it hit a man who was also walking northbound in the same lane of travel.
“I just hit somebody on the highway, I think I killed them,” the driver of the Kia told 911. “I just was driving and didn’t see nobody and all of a sudden I heard a boom and my hood went up.”
The pedestrian was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name is being withheld until family can be notified.
The driver of the Kia was not injured in the crash and is not suspected of drug or alcohol use, Gabbard said. It is not yet known whether drugs or alcohol played a role for the pedestrian, as toxicology reports are still pending.
The Canton Metro Crash Team is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact the Canton Police Department Traffic Bureau at 330-438-4485. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Tip411 by signing up at www.cantonohio.gov/police.
