In the early morning hours of December 7, Evansville Central Dispatch received reports of a
pedestrian being struck by a vehicle on southbound I-69, just north of the Lloyd Expressway exit. Upon
arrival, officers discovered a male victim lying in the roadway, with four vehicles stopped on the
shoulder.
One of the drivers stopped after striking the pedestrian, while two other vehicles had
inadvertently driven over the victim, unaware he was in the roadway. A fourth vehicle, a GMC pickup
truck, was located nearby, unoccupied but running. This vehicle was registered to the pedestrian.
It is unclear why the victim, identified as 32-year-old Dennis Copeland of Appling, Georgia, was
outside of his vehicle. Initial findings suggest that Copeland had opened his door to urinate on the
shoulder near the driver’s side, before crossing the median and being struck by a southbound vehicle.
The driver who initially struck Copeland was taken to a local hospital for a standard blood draw,
as part of routine procedure. Copeland was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation is
ongoing, and further details will be provided as they become available.
