MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - A police officer responding to an emergency call hit and killed a pedestrian with his cruiser early Sunday, prompting customers leaving a nearby bar to throw rocks and bottles at police, authorities said.
Donald McCray, 75, of Middletown, apparently was crossing the street when he was struck and later was pronounced dead at Middletown Regional Hospital, police said.
The cruiser, with emergency lights and siren operating, was responding to a call for help from an officer who was assaulted while trying to make an arrest outside a club around 2:20 a.m., police said.
McCray was hit outside the Grand Illusion Bar, and customers leaving at the time began throwing objects at police. Officers called for help from surrounding departments to disperse the crowd. No arrests were made, police said.
The officer who hit McCray, who authorities would not identify, has been placed on administrative leave during an investigation.
The officer assaulted, Chris Winters, was treated at the Middletown hospital and released, police said.
Middletown is about 30 miles north of Cincinnati.