Paris, Tenn.–An employee of Commercial Bank & Trust was struck by a vehicle in downtown Paris this morning and was airlifted to an area hospital.
The employee was on the way to work at the bank before 8 a.m. when the accident happened at the intersection of Wood and Brewer Streets. The employee is a teller at the bank. She was reportedly transported to Henry County Medical Center before being airlifted.
Paris Assistant Police Chief Ean Reed told RadioNWTN this morning the accident is still under investigation and more information will be released when the report is completed.
The dangers for pedestrians in downtown Paris has been in the spotlight recently, especially after Commercial Bank officials installed security cameras and sent videos to city officials showing near-misses for pedestrian employees in the downtown area. The problem has been discussed at recent Paris City Commission meetings.
City Manager Kim Foster said this morning officers have told her that the employee was hit in the chest by the vehicle.
Foster said she was told the vehicle was stopped on Wood Street at the red light, the driver looked down and when he looked back up thinking the light had turned green, all he saw was hands on the window.
Numerous pedestrians have been struck in the downtown area in recent years, most on the court square.
Foster noted that the city is working on two grant projects to alleviate the pedestrian dangers “and we’re doing everything we know to do to correct this problems.”