Friday, Jan. 20, 2023 – 4:48 p.m.

-John Bailey, Rome News-Tribune-

A pedestrian who was struck by a truck and knocked off the Second Avenue Bridge Thursday afternoon died overnight and police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, according to Rome police.

“We’re trying to figure out the source of why the truck ran off the road,” RPD Assistant Chief Debbie Burnett said. 

David Floyd, 66, of Rome, was headed northbound on Second Avenue in a GMC Sierra at approximately 2:40 p.m. when it left the road and struck 35-year-old Jacob Pepper of Bartlesville, Okla. near Safe Lock and Key. Pepper was knocked off the bridge in the collision and landed on the sidewalk area that passes under the bridge.

Floyd then traveled further down the road before clipping a white Toyota Sienna which was also heading northbound on Second Avenue then hitting trees near Atrium Health Floyd before stopping. 

Floyd was taken to the hospital for treatment and another person Eliseo Lopez, who was in the Sienna, was also transported.

Witnesses at the scene said the truck didn’t appear to be under control by the driver and had been scraping against the side of the raised sidewalk on the bridge. 

Original story and video below by Ethan Garrett – WRGA digital news editor and video reporter.

This preliminary report is subject to change as more information becomes available:

The Second Avenue Bridge north of Broad Street in downtown Rome was blocked for a time Thursday afternoon after a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle.

According to Rome Police, the pedestrian was thrown off the bridge and onto the path below after being hit by the northbound vehicle near Safe Lock and Kay.

The pedestrian was transported to Atrium Health Floyd with what were believed to be serious injuries.

Police say the vehicle left the road twice, and they are looking into the possibility that the driver had some sort of medical emergency.