A man was seen rushing along the bustling Route 51 in the Bon Air neighbourhood early on Friday morning, according to many witnesses. Although the road was dark, drivers could see him running straight towards oncoming cars and flailing his arms as they got closer.
Just before three in the morning, several 9-1-1 calls were placed, according to the police. James Geramita, one of the callers, talked to us but wished to remain anonymous on video.
“He was stumbling, and he looked disoriented,” Geramita said. “It looked like something was wrong with him. My first thought was that maybe he was having a heart attack or something at the wheel and wanted people to help him. I even told the 911 operator that I was calling just to make sure he didn’t get hit.”
Later, the individual was recognised as Pittsburgh resident James Richard Brown Jr., 29. According to police, he sprang from his own automobile while it was still moving, forcing it to collide with the thrift store’s side.
Witnesses stated Then, near the intersection of Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Bausman Street, Brown tried to climb into the bed of a pickup truck. The motorist contacted the police without stopping. Brown went down and was dragged for a few feet beneath the truck.
The witness, Geramita, saw that Brown seemed to be dressed in nothing more than a t-shirt.
“It looked like his pants were around his ankles from what I could see,” Geramita added.
The situation was “weird,” according to Geramita.
Officers reported that the man hurried towards their squad car and disobeyed their orders when they arrived.
Brown was arrested.
Officers noted that Brown had a head injury, bruising, and road rash at the time of his arrest. He received treatment from paramedics on the spot, but he suffered a heart attack and passed away in the hospital.
The precise reason of death is yet unknown.
