Police: Man Hit By Off-Duty Officer May Have Wandered Into Flow Of Traffic
MONROEVILLE (KDKA) -- There are new details today about a deadly accident in Monroeville involving an off-duty police officer.
It's an accident that is still under investigation.
Michael Barnes, 49, was crossing busy Monroeville Boulevard Thursday around 7:30 p.m. when he was hit by an off-duty Monroeville police officer in a marked vehicle.
The officer has not been named.
George Stakelin was an eyewitness.
"I heard the boom," he said. "It sounded like two cars hitting he hit him so hard."
Friends and neighbors say Barnes was walking home from work at a nearby apartment complex where he was a maintenance man.
He was only a few feet away from his own place when he was hit.
"The early indications are that the pedestrian may have wandered into the flow of traffic," said Lt. Andy Schurman, of Allegheny County Police.
Barnes was the father of two special needs children, an 8-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl, both have Down syndrome.
They were being raised by their mother, Tamara Lord. But Angela Eichenmiller, a family friend, says although Barnes had his demons with alcohol, he did his best to be a good father.
"Very gentle, very kind, warm, friendly guy, everyone in town knows him for different reasons. Very gentle with his children," said Eichenmiller.
Barnes crossed where there is no traffic light and no crosswalk.
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