URBANA — An Urbana man is dead after being struck by a pickup truck Tuesday night.
Crews were dispatched to a crash involving a pedestrian being struck in the 600 block of Scioto Street shortly after 8 p.m., Urbana Police Chief Matt Lingrell said in a release.
Jack Rufus, 53, of Urbana was identified as the pedestrian killed in the crash.
>> 1 flown, 1 driven to hospital after crash in Preble County
According to Lingrell, preliminary findings show that Rufus was walking westbound along the sidewalk and curb area on the north side of the street with his sister, when he lost his balance and fell into the street in the outermost lane of travel for westbound traffic.
Witnesses told police that Rufus had been seen walking unsteadily and had lost his balance prior to eventually falling into the street where he was struck, Lingrell said.
A pickup truck, driven by a 39-year-old St. Paris man, was in the outermost lane heading westbound and was slowing to turn into a driveway when Rufus fell in front of his vehicle and was struck, Lingrell said.
Rufus was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
The crash remains under investigation at this time.