The New York State Police announced Wednesday that a man was found on Interstate 490 with severe head trauma after falling off the back of a milk truck entering the highway.
The injured man, Tabarri Goins, 24, is still hospitalized today with a fractured skull.
#Update: This is Tabarri Goins. State Police say the 24 year old was wearing a maroon MCC jacket and gray sweatpants when he was hurt. pic.twitter.com/4VFeCLRBpd
— Jim Madalinsky (@Jim_Madalinsky) October 16, 2017
State Police Capt. Carolyn Mullin told Democrat & Chronicle that Goins is on life support.
The Accident
State troopers were called to Interstate 490 at Brown Street, early on Monday morning, after receiving multiple calls that there was someone lying in the street.
There is video footage that shows Goins jumping onto the back of a tractor-trailer carrying milk.
Mullin explained the accident saying, “As the truck leaves the intersection, we can see white sneakers on the truck as the person is attempting to climb on the back of the truck.” She also said he might’ve tried to jump off the truck when he saw it was going onto I-490.
Within minutes of jumping onto the truck, Goins was on the ground and 911 had already begun receiving calls.
“It’s our belief that his injuries were caused from either falling from the milk truck or accidentally falling from the milk truck,” Mullin said. “We do not believe his injuries were caused by any criminal act.”
#NYSP update: Tabarri Goins sustained traumatic head injuries when he attempted to hitch a ride on the back of a milk truck.
👀@SPECNewsROC pic.twitter.com/Sy9PMBwpUm
— Gabby Lucivero (@GLucivero) October 18, 2017
According to Democrat & Chronicle, Goins sustained a skull fracture to the back of his head and some abrasions on his back and shoulder area. Mullin said those injuries are consistent with road rash.
Mullin added, “Because it was a very odd situation like I said, there was no indication he was struck by a vehicle, so we had to piece this together. It took a lot of man-hours.”
What Lead To The Accident
Goins left a relative’s home on Scrantom Street at 2:30 a.m. He left the residence on foot and alone. He left his relative’s home to go to his girlfriend’s house on the other side of the highway.
“We’ve obtained numerous video coverage from local businesses and residences in the area,” Mullin said. “And we’ve been able to backtrack all the way to Scrantom Street.”
From the video footage, it appears that Goins walked alone through multiple parking lots near the downtown Monroe Community College campus and local medical center. He walked on west Morrie Silver Way near Frontier Field.
Goins then crossed another parking lot and ended up on Brown Street, near the entrance of 490.
Friends and family claim that it was not uncommon for Goins to be walking around town, but never before had he walked onto an onramp.
When he was found he did not have an ID on him.
Mullin states that none of the video footage reveals someone following Goins or traveling with him.
The truck driver told police that he had no idea that there was someone on the back of his truck.
A state Department of Transportation camera captured Goins jumping onto the milk truck; although, other contributing factors to his injury are still under investigation.
Goins was declared brain dead by doctors earlier this week. Goins’ family is waiting for a family member to arrive from out of the country to say goodbye, according to 13 WHAM.
The Family of Tabarri Goins, says that the 24 year old man was not a victim of Foul Play. He was proclaimed dead on Sunday. @SPECNewsROC pic.twitter.com/OVM2vlDKxW
— Alex Howard (@AlexHowardNews) October 17, 2017