Tri-Cities man hit and killed walking across Highway 240

A Pasco man died after he was hit by a car as he walked across the Richland bypass highway Sunday morning before sunrise.

Leo Gerhard, 28, of Pasco, was walking east across Highway 240 north of Van Giesen Street about 6:20 a.m, according to Washington State Patrol reports.

He was hit by a Ford Fusion driven by Luke Bultena, 36, of Pasco, according to the WSP.

Gerhard died before he could be taken to a hospital. The driver was not injured.

The state patrol did not file charges against Bultena.

The bypass highway was closed to traffic between Van Giesen Street and Airport Road after the collision with the pedestrian.

One eastbound lane opened shortly after 8 a.m. and all lanes opened by about 9 a.m., according to the Washington state Department of Transportation.

This story was originally published October 27, 2019 at 3:43 PM.