City garbage worker critically injured when SUV hits him in East Liberty
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The driver of an SUV that struck a city sanitation worker Monday in East Liberty told police she did not see the man because she was temporarily blinded by sun glare in her eyes.
Aaron Atkins, 55, of the North Side, was struck about 8 a.m. while collecting garbage near Black Street and Negley Avenue. Police said he was pinned between the hopper of the truck and the woman's SUV and was in critical condition at UPMC Presbyterian Monday afternoon.
"He's doing better than we initially thought, but he's still not out of the woods yet," said Public Works Director Rob Kaczorowski, who spent the morning at the hospital with Mr. Atkins' relatives as he underwent surgery. "He will have a long road to recovery."
Two other garbage collectors had just emptied their cans into the back of the truck when Mr. Atkins, in reflective coveralls, took his turn. He had just thrown his trash into the hopper when he was struck, Mr. Kaczorowski said.
"Usually the truck is your shield," he said. "He didn't see it coming."
Accident investigators, who have not filed charges, will return to the scene this morning, police spokeswoman Diane Richard said. She said the driver of the SUV was a 36-year-old woman from Stanton Heights but did not provide her name. Mr. Atkins was a employee for the past seven years, Mr. Kaczorowski said. He urged drivers to use extra caution when passing garbage trucks.
First Published February 7, 2012 12:00 am
