Deer Accident Results In Man Being Seriously Injured

Copperopolis, CA — A Murphys man hit a deer while driving on Highway 4 near Copperopolis then when he got out of his vehicle to investigate he is struck by a passerby.

The incident happened just after 4 a.m. on Monday west of Hunt Road. The CHP reports 63-year-old Robert Hamilton was in the westbound lane of the highway when he hit a deer. He jumped out of his vehicle to look for the deer in case it needed to be moved off the roadway. He located the deer just as another vehicle pulled up behind his and the driver asked Hamilton if he was okay. That is when the CHP says 46-year-old Tirrell Butler of Stockton driving a 2002 Mercedes Benz came driving by in the eastbound lane. Butler told investigators that the headlights from the second vehicle blinded him and he did not see Hamilton standing on the double-yellow lines and struck him.

Hamilton suffered major injuries and was taken by ambulance to Mark Twain Medical Center. San Andreas Unit CHP Officer Toby Butzler shares it could have been worse, “Mr. Butler informed us that he did slow down to about 20 mph, which is good. Anything probably faster than that and we would be discussing a fatality and not major injuries.” Butzler remarks that is why it is important for motorists to slow down near accident scenes.