A 59-year-old man was killed Friday evening while crossing South High Street in Columbus’ Brewery District, after he stepped out between two parked cars shortly after sunset and was struck by a southbound Jeep Wrangler, Columbus police said.
Police identified the man as Mao Nil. The crash happened about 7:20 p.m. on the west side of South High Street near East Beck Street, according to a Columbus police news release. Nil was taken in critical condition to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, where he died at 7:40 p.m., about 20 minutes after the crash.
The Columbus police Accident Investigation Unit responded to the scene and is investigating. Police have not announced any charges in connection with the crash, and the investigation will examine the circumstances of the crossing, including that Nil entered the roadway from between parked vehicles, which can leave both a pedestrian and an approaching driver with little time and limited visibility to react.
South High Street is one of the main corridors through the Brewery District, a neighborhood of restaurants, breweries and homes just south of downtown where evening foot traffic shares the street with steady vehicle traffic. A crossing shortly after sunset — when light is fading and parked cars line the curb — is among the most dangerous situations a pedestrian can face, and Friday’s crash turned fatal within minutes.
Police are asking anyone with knowledge of the crash, the vehicle or the driver to come forward. Witnesses can contact the Accident Investigation Unit at 614-645-4767, or share information anonymously through Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.
For residents of the neighborhood, the death is a reminder to use marked crossings where they are available and to pause at the curb where parked cars block the view of oncoming traffic — and for drivers traveling South High in the evening, to slow down and scan the edges of the roadway in areas with heavy foot traffic.
The crash remains under investigation, and police have not released additional details about the driver of the Jeep Wrangler. Any further findings, including whether speed or impairment played a role, will come from the Accident Investigation Unit as its work continues.