Pedestrian killed on I-75 identified; no charges against driver expected

The pedestrian who was fatally struck by a vehicle on the morning of January 8 while walking along I-75 has been identified as Mainor Asahel Chirinos Sanchez, 26, of Marietta.

His family came forward to identify him. No charges are expected in the incident.

Original report

According to a public information release from Officer Chuck McPhilamy of the Marietta Police Department, a pedestrian was killed while walking in the travel lanes of I-75 North at the entrance from South Marietta Parkway.

The incident occurred at around 3:38 a.m., and is being investigated by the MPD’s Selective Traffic Enforcemet Progam (STEP) Unit.

Investigators describe the incident as follows:

The on-scene investigation revealed that an unidentified male was walking on Interstate 75 north in the travel lanes, when he was struck by a 2020 Toyota Tundra driven by sixty-three-year-old Daniel Bittner of Ohio. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on scene.
Investigators have not been able to identify the pedestrian and are asking for the public’s help. No photo is available for release, but he has been described as a Hispanic male possibly in his twenties or early thirties with a thin build. Anyone with information related to this crash is asked to contact STEP Investigator Ayres at (770) 794-5384.

About the City of Marietta

The City of Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County. The latest estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau puts the population of the city at 60,867 which makes it the largest city in Cobb County by population.

However, the city is in a neck-and-neck race with fast-growing Smyrna, whose population was 56,666 at the last estimate.

Here are a few fast facts from the Census Bureau

Marietta city, Georgia

2019 Population Estimates 60,867

Source: Vintage 2019 Population Estimates

Median Household Income $ 57,452

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Persons in poverty, percent 14.0 %

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Educational Attainment: Percent high school graduate or higher 87.7 %

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Persons without health insurance, percent 18.1 %