Dog Runs Over Man In Florida

By Charles Poladian | January 17 2013 6:33 PM

In a bizarre and fatal accident, a dog ran over his owner in Florida. The dog jumped into the driver’s side of a Chevy van and accidentally pressed the accelerator with its paw, causing the van to run over his owner, James W. Campbell.

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A Florida man was killed when his dog jumped into his car, pressed the accelerator, and backed into him.

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Campbell, 68, and his partner Iris H. Fortner, 56, were returning to their home in Cantonment, a suburb of Pensacola, around 10:20 a.m. Monday, reports the Florida Highway Patrol. Campbell had exited the 1995 Chevy van to open up the metal gates in their driveway. Fortner was backing up the van, stopped and opened up the driver’s side door to see where Campbell was standing.

As Fortner was turning to look behind her, their dog, a boxer-bulldog mix, jumped into the driver’s side of the Chevy van. The dog pressed the accelerator, making the van speed up and run over Campbell, who was then trapped underneath the van. Apparently the dog was large enough to keep Fortner from reacting in time, reports The Associated Press. The van had backed up far enough that Campbell was trapped underneath the front left side.

Campbell was pronounced dead at the scene by Escambia County paramedics while Fortner sustained minor injuries, reports FHP. The FHP is continuing the investigation, notes NBC News. Fortner has not been charged with any offense, and there have been no further updates regarding the accident.