Tractor hits, kills man at Norfolk Southern rail yard in Cobb

A man was hit and killed by a tractor early Thursday at the Norfolk Southern rail yard in Cobb County.

A man was hit and killed by a tractor early Thursday at the Norfolk Southern rail yard in Cobb County.

A 31-year-old man was killed early Thursday when a tractor driver hit him in the Norfolk Southern rail yard, Cobb County police said.

Jesse Maxwell of Dallas was taken to WellStar Cobb Hospital in Austell after the incident, which happened shortly after 12:15 a.m., Cobb Officer Sarah O’Hara said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The tractor driver, 58-year-old Lavoyd Pete of Hiram, was not injured. The incident happened at 6000 Dr. Luke Glenn Garrett Jr. Memorial Boulevard.

Investigators said Pete was parking a white yard tractor in the private plot of the rail yard. When he tried to pull into a parking space that was between other yard tractors, the tractor hit Maxwell, knocking him to the ground.

“Witnesses shouted to the driver to get his attention,” O’Hara said. “The driver stopped the tractor with the right-side tandems on the pedestrian's chest and abdomen. The witnesses assisted the driver in backing the tractor off the pedestrian.”

Charges are not expected to be filed, police said. However, the incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 770-499-3987.

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