‘Dead man’ calls coroner, says he was not pedestrian killed in traffic

The Bibb County’s coroner’s office got an alarming phone call Friday from a man who was identified earlier in the day as a pedestrian killed on Tom Hill Senior Boulevard.

For about a decade, deputy coroner Lonnie Miley has seen Charles Norman Campbell walking around Tom Hill Senior Boulevard.

He had no reason to doubt when he was told Campbell was the man who was hit by a car and died of apparent blunt force trauma at the Medical Center, Navicent Health, just before 11:40 p.m.

“He was always walking and most of the time he had a coffee cup in his hand,” Miley said. “He’s well known out there, and he’d always talk to you.”

Now the coroner’s office is asking for help identifying the man who was killed. Tips can be called into 478-256-6714.

Bibb County sheriff’s deputies had identified the victim as Campbell, who was known to frequent the area.

The now unidentified victim was in the left lane in the 100 block of Tom Hill, not far from Riverside Drive, when he was hit by a 2003 Saturn ION at about 10:30 p.m.

The 27-year-old driver told investigators she was headed toward Riverside Drive in the right lane when she swerved into the next lane to avoid a car that pulled in front of her and did not see the man standing in the middle of the road.

The Bibb County sheriff’s fatality investigator’s paint marks on the pavement show where the woman’s car veered just past the entrance to Starbucks and apparently struck the man closer to Dunkin’ Donuts.

People who frequent the establishments near the juncture of Riverside Drive and Tom Hill Sr. Boulevard were saddened by the premature news of Campbell’s death.

One woman wrote on Facebook: “Omg he was the sweetest man. Breaks my heart!!”

Another said: “This saddens me. Not that we were ‘friends’ but you get used to seeing people, waving, even speaking at times for years and now he won’t be there.”

No charges were filed against the driver, but investigators want to talk to anyone who has information about the accident.

Witnesses can call the sheriff’s office at 478-751-7500.

This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 4:53 PM with the headline "‘Dead man’ calls coroner, says he was not pedestrian killed in traffic."