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Crash kills man in wheelchair photo by Drew Fleming Medford resident struck by pickup on Holly Street By Jill Briskey A 48-year-old Medford man in a wheelchair died Friday after he was struck by a pickup truck and dragged almost 100 feet on a busy city street. Wayne Oliver was rushed to Rogue Valley Medical Center after he was hit at the intersection of West Fourth and North Holly streets in Medford around 4 p.m. Hospital officials were unable to provide further details. According to Medford Police Lt. Tim George, Oliver was attempting to cross Holly Street when he was hit by a 1986 Nissan pickup driven by Medford resident Glen Dow, 22. Oliver was in the crosswalk at the time of the collision. "He made it almost mid-stream across the road when he was hit," George said. "He was dragged, I guess, about 75 to 100 feet." Between the crosswalk and Dow�s pickup lay a trail of items, carefully marked by investigators � a pair of glasses, a hat, mangled pieces of Oliver�s motorized wheelchair. Jennifer Pruitt, whose home is only a few feet away from the intersection, came running outside after she heard the collision. "I heard this big bang," she said. "I ran over there and the guy (Dow) was already out of the truck saying that the sun was in his eyes." Although George could not say if Dow was speeding at the time of the accident, he confirmed that the afternoon sunshine had created a traffic hazard. "There was an extreme glare for drivers who were going westbound," George said. "Right now, we just don�t know what happened." Pruitt said an older man ran to assist Oliver. Her first impressions were that a baby in its carriage had become trapped under the truck since the wheelchair was so smashed. "At first the guy (Oliver) didn�t have a pulse, but I guess he came around because he (the unidentified man) found a pulse again," she added. "He was moving his thumb a little." "He (Dow) moved the victim quite a ways," Medford resident Chris Sacks said. At the time of the accident, Sacks was one block away and came over to see what had happened. "He was dragged quite a distance. It was quite a shame," he added. "People drive through here like it�s a freeway." George said that one eyewitness was taken to the Medford station to give a report. A few other statements were taken at the scene. Dow was taken to the police station to give his statement as well. No charges or citations were issued Friday, George said. The accident remains under investigation. "Right now we�re not sure of anything," he added. "We�re doing all the things that you would do for an accident like this." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.