CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) A Springfield man who was found lying on the side of the road Sunday morning in Greenbrier later died after being run over by a Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) trooper.
On September 22, at approximately 2:00 a.m, a car traveling in the 2700 block of Highway 41 South in Greenbrier noticed what appeared to be a body lying in the road.
The car turned around to investigate further. Getting within 10-feet of the body and shining their headlights, the driver confirmed the individual to be a white-male, wearing only blue-jeans laying in the road. He appeared to be unresponsive.
The driver drove a little further away from the body and called the Robertson County 911 Center.
While the 911 call was in progress, Trooper John-Mark Tarr of the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) was on patrol in the area. As he approached the scene, the driver of car flashed their lights at Trooper Tarr to get his attention.
While Trooper Tarr approached the vehicle flashing their headlights, he inadvertently ran over the man’s body.
According to reports, Tarr immediately stopped his vehicle and, after realizing he ran over a man, quickly called THP dispatch and requested an ambulance to respond to his location. He activated his lights and camera after calling dispatch.
James Yates, 49, of Springfield, Tenn. was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unknown why he was lying in the road.
Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) and Criminal Investigations Division (CID) responded to the scene.
The incident remains under investigation.