Philadelphia

PPA Tow Truck Kills Employee in ‘Tragic' Crash: Officials

A Philadelphia Parking Authority employee is dead after a PPA vehicle struck the father of three Wednesday morning while he was standing in the transit regulation agency's South Philly lot.

A PPA tow truck backed up and ran over 60-year-old Jeff Bayers in the lot, which is located on Weccacoe Avenue between Oregon and Snyder avenues, according to a PPA spokesman.

PPA officials called the deadly accident "tragic," telling NBC10 Bayers, of Maple Shade, is survived by three children.

An employee with the agency for 13 years, Bayers worked in the lot where he was struck.

"(Bayers was) a great worker, loved by his colleagues," said Mayor Michael Nutter who called the incident "incredibly tragic."

Authorities are still investigating the circumstances that led up to the crash, which occurred shortly before 7 a.m. near the Ikea located on Christopher Columbus Boulevard, authorities said.

Rescuers rushed the victim to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where the man was pronounced dead at 8:48 a.m., officials said.

Nutter was with Bayers family and colleagues at the hospital.

"It's sad, it's always sad to lose any of our citizens -- but certainly any public employee -- all of us feel it," said Nutter.

No word yet on whether charges will be filed against the driver, who officials have yet to identify.

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