TYLER (KYTX) - Police are reporting the second pedestrian fatality in Tyler and fourth such wreck in East Texas in the past week.
According to Tyler Patrol Sgt. Jason Burton, police responded to a pedestrian wreck in the 1600 block of Vine Street shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday. When officers arrived, they found 39-year-old Nikeisha Smith, of Tyler, dead.
"It appeared that Smith was crossing the roadway and not in an approved crosswalk when she was struck," Burton said in a media release. "The driver of the vehicle in the accident was not issued any citations."
On July 30, police investigated a pedestrian fatality in the 5500 block of Troup Highway that claimed the life of 42-year-old David Wayne Bickerdike, of Tyler. Bickerdike was crossing the roadway on foot and was not in a crosswalk, police said.
The driver of the vehicle that struck Bickerdike, 58-year-old Susan Helgesen, of Tyler, did not see the pedestrian due to darkness and his clothing and was not issued a citation, police said.
Also on July 30, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers investigated the death of 79-year-old Richard Cunningham, of Marshall, who was struck and killed by an oncoming vehicle on U.S. 80 about four miles west of Marshall. Trooper Dennis Redden said it appeared that Cunningham lost some lumber from his minivan onto the highway and pulled over to pick it up when he was struck in the westbound lane by a truck driven by Jimmie Williams, also of Marshall. Williams was not cited.
Longview police reported that, at about 12:30 a.m. on July 28, an unidentified motorist struck 20-year-old pedestrian Jason Johnson in the 300 block of West Cotton Street across from the Longview police station. Police Sgt. Doug Brinkley discovered Johnson, who was transported to a Longview hospital, where he later died.
