Chesco man fatally struck by off-duty officer in Delaware

A 32-year-old Chester County man died early Saturday after he was standing on a roadway and was struck by a vehicle driven by an off-duty police officer in Delaware, authorities said.

Christopher Thompson, of Coatesville, was outside of his pickup truck on eastbound State Route 12 in Felton, just east of Chimney Hill Road, when he was struck by a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV driven by a 47-year-old off-duty police officer with the Harrington Police Department, the Delaware State Police said.

The crash occurred about 1:40 a.m., about 12 miles south of Dover. Thompson had been driving a 2006 Dodge pickup truck, which was pulling a 30-foot enclosed box trailer, police said. Because of a mechanical problem with the trailer, Thompson pulled over to the right shoulder, but a portion of the trailer remained in the eastbound lane, police said.

Thompson had placed a floor jack under the driver's side of the trailer's tires and was standing in the roadway when he was struck by the right front bumper of the Tahoe, police said. He was thrown onto the hood and windshield of the Tahoe before landing on the roadway.

Thompson, who was dressed in all dark clothing at the time, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

A female passenger in Thompson's pickup and the male off-duty police officer were not injured. Police said alcohol, drug use and excessive speed were not factors in the crash.

- Julie Shaw