Man in wheelchair hit and killed trying to cross street in Hiram

HIRAM, Ga. - The Georgia State Patrol is investigating a fatal accident that killed a man using a wheelchair. A witness says a couple of people tried to help him cross the street with no luck.  

Highway 278 and Pace road is a busy intersection. Jessica Echols, who saw the fatal crash, says it was dark as that man tried to get to the other side of the street. Unfortunately, she says, the light changed before he could.

"It all just happened very fast," Echols said, remembering what she saw near Pace road in Hiram Monday night. "The gentleman entered into the crosswalk, his wheelchair got stuck."

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The Georgia State Patrol says it was around 8 p.m. when the man, identified as 55-year-old Jerry Deems, tried to cross the road from the north shoulder.

Echols says a man in another car stopped, in what appeared to be an attempt to get the man safely cross the street.

"It dawned on me that the man was trying to back up to help him," she said.

Troopers say Deems didn't use the crosswalk signal and a Chevy Cruze hit him.

"I believe he was instantly killed and thrown," Echols said.

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She says the car that hit Deems stopped, as a distraught driver realized what happened.

"We all had 911 on the call," she said.

The Hiram Police chief says his officers blocked traffic as GSP scoured the area, but the city police department is not involved in the investigation.

GSP is the investigating agency. Deems's family has been notified. Troopers have not filed any charges against the driver. 

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