Melbourne woman hit and killed by garbage truck
A young cafe manager was run over and killed by a garbage truck after she slipped and fell onto the road while rushing to work in Melbourne's CBD this morning.
Josie Edden, 23, was crossing Collins Street, near Southern Cross station, at around 6am when she tripped and fell into the path of an oncoming truck.
Witnesses have told police Josie appeared to be in a rush when she darted across a pedestrian crossing while the red man warning signal was flashing.
She tripped and fell to the ground just as the truck was turning the corner at the intersection of Spencer Street and Collins Street, police said.
The truck driver did not see Ms Edden lying on the road and drove into her.
"It appears the pedestrian has started to cross against the flashing red man, she's in a bit of a hurry," Sergeant Mark Rose told reporters at the scene.
"It appears she was running, has cut the corner against the red man, entering the crossing, then tripped and the truck has completed its turn, not seeing her and running her over."
Witnesses tried to resuscitate Ms Edden but she could not be saved.
The 23-year-old, who lives in a city apartment and was a manager at Code Black Coffee Roasters, was just several blocks from work when she was struck.
It is believed staff called Ms Edden's boyfriend when she failed to arrive for work on time. He stumbled upon the crash scene after leaving his city apartment to look for her.
Ms Edden's colleagues were among the hundreds of city workers who passed the tragic scene, not realising it was their boss who had been hit and killed.
The 47-year-old truck driver collapsed in disbelief at the scene and was treated by paramedics for shock.
"He's in a great amount of shock at the moment," Sgt Rose said.
"He can't believe what's happened."
Police said initial investigations indicated there was nothing the truck driver could have done to avoid hitting the young woman. It is unlikely he will face charges.
"It appears the truck driver was fully in the right and doing the right thing," Sgt Rose said.
"The pedestrian has unfortunately been at fault and paid the ultimate sacrifice for doing the wrong thing."
Ms Edden's body lay on the road, beneath a tarpaulin sheet, as forensic crash investigators and a coroner examined the scene.
Sgt Rose has called on pedestrians to pay attention and heed crossing warning signs.
"It's a tragic set of circumstances and the message we try to enforce daily to pedestrians in the CBD is how dangerous it is when you disobey that red traffic signal."
It is the second pedestrian death in Melbourne this morning.
Earlier a man died after being hit by a west-bound truck on Geelong Road at Brooklyn at 1.45am.
The deaths take the state's road toll to 42, three more than the same time last year.
News break – February 17
