80-Year-Old Man Hit By Police Car While Crossing Road In The Rain

CHARLOTTE, NC — An 80-year-old man attempting to cross South Tryon Street during a rainstorm was left with life-threatening injuries after he was hit by a marked police car driven by an on-duty Charlotte police officer Thursday night.

The man, identified as Arnulfo Salazar, was not in a crosswalk, according to police report.

The accident occurred around 6:15 p.m. on the south Charlotte thoroughfare near Moss Road, according to a statement released May 31 by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police. According to a CMPD report, Salazar ran from the median into the path of Page’s Chevrolet Caprice. Page rendered aid until medic arrived.

“The preliminary investigation based on witnesses at the scene has determined the pedestrian was standing in the median and crossed the road in front of the officer in a portion of the roadway that is not marked for pedestrian crossing,” CMPD said is a statement Thursday evening.

Salazar was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with life threatening injuries. CMPD officer Jeffrey Blake Page, 27, was not injured in the accident.

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.

Speed and alcohol are not contributing factors for the officer, according to CMPD. “Detectives are working to determine if impairment was a contributing factor for the pedestrian,” it said.

CMPD asks that anyone who witnessed the accident call Detective Reibold at (704) 432-2169 or Crime Stoppers at (704) 334-1600.

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