x
Breaking News
More () »

A Graham man lying down on highway killed by a car

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the death of the man run over by a car in Graham. The man was lying in the road late at night when a car hit him.

GRAHAM COUNTY, N.C. — A man lying down on NC Highway 54 was killed Tuesday night when a car hit him in the roadway, Graham police said.

It happened around 10:30 p.m. on the NC Highway 54 roadway near the 1100 block of E. Harden St. Alcohol is believed to be a contributing factor for the reason John Franklin Burch, 45, was lying in the road, GPD officials said. 

There was a witness to the crash that confirmed Burch was lying in the roadway before the crash, GPD officials said.

Police said Burch was in the middle of the travel lanes when a driver of a 2000 Ford Ranger hit him. Burch's dark clothing made it difficult for the driver to see him, officials said. The driver did attempt to avoid hitting Burch, Graham officers said. 

The speed limit on NC Highway 54 near where the incident occurred is 50 mph, according to the NCDOT.

Alamance County EMS pronounced Burch dead when they arrived at the scene.

No charges are expected to be filed at this time, GPD officials said.

Before You Leave, Check This Out