UPDATE (11/21/24): KPD crash reconstruction investigators have determined that the man who was found deceased on a sidewalk in the area of Merchant Drive and Central Avenue Pike late Tuesday night was not struck by a vehicle.

Following a review of surveillance video from a nearby business, investigators verified that the victim was not struck by the vehicle that had crashed off of the roadway and the death was unrelated to that crash.

At this time, it is suspected that the deceased, a 37-year-old man, died of an overdose, pending a final determination by the Medical Examiner’s Office.  

Original story: The Knoxville Police Department is investigating a possible but unconfirmed pedestrian fatality that happened late Tuesday night in the area of Merchant Drive and Central Avenue Pike.  

At around 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, KPD officers responded to the aforementioned location, where an adult man was found unresponsive on the sidewalk. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition to KPD Crime Scene Technicians, Medical Examiner’s Office personnel responded to the scene but were unable to make a preliminary determination concerning cause of death.  

Responding officers located a vehicle nearby that had crashed off of the roadway. The driver was detained at the scene and interviewed by KPD detectives and crash reconstruction personnel.

The investigation remains active and ongoing at this time.