From WRIL -
Friday night August 9, 2019 WRIL received a report of a man who was struck by a car around 10:00pm and later died in the southbound lane of Highway 25E in Barbourville.
An eyewitness tells WRIL that it happened near Save-a-lot food store and that the roadway was closed near the scene.
Barbourville Police Chief Winston Tye reports to WRIL that approximately 9:48 pm the Barbourville Police Department received a call and upon arrival officers found that a pedestrian had been hit by a motor vehicle.
During the investigation officers determined that 39 year old Corey Tye of Corona, CA was crossing the south bound lanes from the median when he walked into the path of a red 1999 dodge Dakota pick-up driven by Derek Lawson of Barbourville.
Lawson was headed south in the slow lane of US Highway 25E when he struck Tye, throwing him into the fast lane where he was hit by a 1996 Chevrolet Lumina green driven by Perry Jackson of Barbourville.
Corey Tye was pronounced dead at the scene by Knox County Coroner Mike Blevins. No other injuries were reported. The accident is still under investigation by Officer Eric Martin. He was assisted by Officer Josh Lawson, Chad Wagner, Chase Henson, Barbourville Fire Department, and Knox County EMS.
Police began allowing traffic to pass through the area again at approximately 11:20pm.
This is the second pedestrian fatality in the same area of Barbourville this year. February 3rd, 76 year old James Morgan, of Barbourville, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Knox County Coroner Mike Blevins after being struck by two vehicles.