A 41-year-old man died after being hit by a car while trying to save his dog Monday morning.
Around 10 a.m., Baltimore County Police said the man was trying to stop his dog from running into the road, when he stepped into the eastbound lane of Frederick Road near River Road and was hit by a 2000 Toyota Solara.
The victim, identified as Paul Gutoski Johnson of Pasadena, was taken to Shock Trauma where he later died.
The driver remained on the scene and the dog wasn’t injured, police said.
“This is not the kind of incident where there's any kind of gross negligence, it's just very tragic. This is a freak accident that took this man's life and I'm sure the driver of the car will be thinking about this for awhile, regardless of who's at fault,” said Baltimore County Police Cpl. John Wachter.
Police have not said if speeding was a factor, but people who live along Frederick Road said it's become a big problem.
“So many people try to cycle down from Ellicott City through the state park and it's a lovely place. There's a lot of cyclists and runners, but it's a very dangerous corner,” said Michael Pulliam, a bicyclist in the area.
“It's crucial that they at least, where the fork is, have a 25 mile per hour speed limit. So, it's a safety concern for the bikers and I know how everybody speeds through, it's not safe. Something's going to happen again,” said Manmeet Singh, who lives along Frederick Road.
Patrick Hawkins has lived near The Cycle Mill Bike Shop for the past two years and said in that time he’s seen four different accidents near his home.
“Cars will come flying around and slam on their breaks. I've stood out here multiple times just waiting to see a car accident from somebody speeding and coming to a pretty abrupt halt,” Hawkins said.
Johnson worked at The Cycle Mill bike shop in Ellicott City. Store employees mourned the loss in a Facebook post Wednesday, saying he "will be sorely missed here but never forgotten."
The incident is still under investigation.
**WMAR Staff contributed to this report.
