Police: Child in stroller hit, killed by truck
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- A child in a jogging stroller died after being hit by a semi-truck on Highway 99 near Highway 34 east of Corvallis Monday morning, according to Oregon State Police.
Dylan Ayer, 2 1/2, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said Monday night that earlier police reports that the stroller was hit while being pushed across Hwy. 99 have not been confirmed. Anyone with information to assist in this investigation is asked to contact OSP Recruit Trooper Phil Van Leuven at (541) 967-2026 ext. 4310.
According to state police, a 2001 Freightliner truck pulling an empty trailer was westbound on Hwy 34 around 10 a.m. Monday. The driver, Marcus D. Coulter, 37, of Lebanon, Ore., came to a stop for a red stop signal. He was attempting to turn right onto northbound Hwy 99 when the truck hit the stroller.
Prior to the collision, the boy's mother, Courtney B. Ayer, 35, of Tangent, Ore., was pushing her son's stroller while she jogged southbound on the northbound sidewalk on Hwy 99. She came to a stop on the northeast corner of the intersection on the sidewalk prior to the stroller being struck.
"I saw her jogging down the street and then I looked over because she was yelling," says Troy Ryzek who witnessed the aftermath. He works at a gas station at the corner of the intersection. "And then I saw her jumping up and down frantically."
State police said she may have received some minor injuries to her hands and arms.
The truck was being operated by Barenbrug, a seed company with an office just down the street from the scene. KVAL was denied an interview, but police say a manager did come to the crash site and is working with police.
"He made contact with our investigators and facilitated whatever information was needed," said Lieutenant Mark Cotter with Oregon State Police. "He was cooperative."
The Linn County Medical Examiner are assisting along with officers from Linn County Sheriff's Office, Albany Police Department, Lebanon Police Department, and Sweet Home Police Department.
Tangent Rural Fire Protection District and ODOT also responded and assisted at the scene. Traffic was coordinated through the area and was able to get through in both directions on Highway 99E during the investigation.
Investigators at the scene were working to determine the position of the pedestrians and truck relative to traffic signals at the time of the accident.
