‘It’s not me. I’m not dead,’ man tells Bibb County coroner after hearing of his demise

A man who fell from a pickup and later died isn’t who authorities thought he was.

Robert Wesley Rivens, 45, died Wednesday, two days after falling from the bed of the pickup while helping people move, Bibb County sheriff’s Sgt. Clay Williams said Saturday.

Authorities originally identified Rivens as Larry Allen Parton, 41, after matching his fingerprints with those on a national database. Apparently, Rivens used a false identity when he was arrested in the Atlanta area, according to Bibb County sheriff’s Lt. Sean DeFoe.

Parton, however, was very much alive and contacted authorities to let them know.

“Mr. Parton called, saying, ‘It’s not me. I’m not dead,’ “ said Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones.

Authorities now believe that Rivens used Parton’s name as an alias during a previous arrest, Jones said. It was not immediately clear why.

Rivens’ “momma said he used a lot of aliases,” Jones said. “His momma told me this morning that he would never keep ID on him. That she tried to get him to get ID. He wouldn’t do it. “

A woman whose husband once hired Rivens to do yard work confirmed the identification, Jones said.

Rivens suffered a closed head injury, Jones said, after falling from the pickup as it turned from Eisenhower Parkway onto the northbound ramp of Interstate 75. Rivens was taken to the Medical Center, Navicient Health.

The driver was not driving recklessly, according to Bibb County sheriff’s Lt. Sean DeFoe.

Rivens was believed to have been living in a shed in south Macon. Little information about him was available.

Telegraph archives were used in this report.

This story was originally published August 18, 2018 at 5:22 PM.