Peel police are appealing to the public for information after a man in his 40s was found dead after being run over by a driver in Mississauga Wednesday morning.
Police believe the driver, who called in the incident, is believed to have “run over and not struck” the man, who may have already been lying on the road in the middle of an intersection near Derry Road and Hurontario Street.
The driver has been cooperating with police, said Peel Regional Police spokesperson Const. Laurie McCann at a Wednesday morning news conference. Emergency crews were first called in about the incident around 3:45 a.m.
While the investigation is in the early stages, McCann said police believe something happened “prior to [the pedestrian] being run over and dragged a short distance” from the intersection.
She said it’s possible another driver may have hit the man earlier, but that investigators aren’t “100 per cent sure.”
Police are appealing to the public for more information, especially if anyone believes they hit something on the road overnight. (Paul Smith/CBC)
Drivers in the area may have not realized they had hit a person, due to the weather, darkness and nearby construction site, which is why police are appealing to the public for information, said McCann.
“It was dark and rainy, obviously weather may play a factor here,” she said. “If you believe you may have struck somebody, or struck something, please contact police.”
Anyone with information or video is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers, said McCann.
Drivers are being warned to avoid the area due to several road closures, including:
Westbound lanes on Derry Road are closed at Hurontario Street.
Southbound lanes on Hurontario Street at Kingsway Drive.
Eastbound lanes at Derry Road and Maritz Drive.
Northbound lanes on Hurontario Street are closed at Admiral Boulevard.
McCann said police are in the process of informing the victim’s family.