A 53-year-old Oxford man was hit by a gravel train and severely injured shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday while attempting to cross M-24 north of Burdick Street.
Classified as a Priority 1 patient, Oxford Fire/EMS personnel transported John Albert Layman from the accident scene to POH Medical Center in Pontiac.
‘It was an immediate transport. They didn’t wait for (the ambulance) based on his condition,? said Oxford Village Police Officer Thad Lambiris, who noted Layman was ‘conscious and alert all the way to the hospital.?
Layman is a familiar figure in Oxford whom many know simply as ‘The Mayor,? a nickname given to him by locals.
A mentally challenged person who resides in the group home at 19 West Burdick Street, the always kind, friendly and gentle Layman spent his days walking around town collecting returnable bottles and cans.
His unfortunate accident occurred as a gravel train was in the process of making a left-turn off southbound M-24 onto eastbound Burdick with the traffic signal showing a green arrow, Lambiris said. Eyewitnesses confirmed the driver had a green arrow.
‘When he started making the turn, he felt something underneath his front tire,? Lambiris said. ‘He proceeded around the corner thinking he just ran over road debris. Rounded the corner, looked in his rearview mirror and saw a man down.?
Eyewitnesses told Lambiris Layman was illegally heading east through the crosswalk because the pedestrian signal indicated do-not-walk at the time.
The crosswalk where the incident occurred is located between the Northeast Oakland Historical Society on the northwest corner and Red Knapp’s American Grill on the northeast corner.
Lambiris said the gravel train driver could not see Layman as his vehicle’s bumper physically pushed the Oxford man, who in response moved toward the center of the intersection where he fell down resulting in his leg being run over by the truck’s front right tire.
Because it appears Layman was illegally crossing M-24 and therefore at fault, no criminal charges or traffic citations will be issued against the driver of the gravel train, who had the right-of-way, according to Lambiris.
According to village Police Chief Mike Neymanowski, Layman was transferred to Detroit Receiving Hospital and is currently listed in critical, but stable condition. He is on a ventilator, the chief reported.
Dispatcher Tony Van Houten told this reporter the village police received many calls Wednesday morning from citizens concerned about Layman and inquiring about his condition. One female caller referred to Layman as ‘Oxford’s mascot,? Van Houten said.
E-mail well wishes for Layman to shermanpub@aol.com.