Police investigate death of man, 73

By Elise Franco

A Canfield man, who declined immediate medical attention after being struck by a vehicle, died in the hospital.

CANFIELD — A city man died hours after being struck by a pickup truck just a few miles from his home.

Robert Frichtel, 73, was walking Monday morning to his home on Carriage Lane from the center of town when the accident occurred.

Canfield Police Detective Sgt. Andy Bodzak said Frichtel was hit at 9:30 a.m. by a pickup truck backing out of a private driveway on East Main Street.

“This accident happened, I would say, probably about halfway to his home,” he said.

Police said Frichtel declined assistance from the driver of the truck at the scene of the accident and continued his walk home.

At about 12:30 p.m., Bodzak said officers and medical personnel arrived at Frichtel’s residence after a friend called for help.

“The deceased made a phone call to a friend shortly after he arrived home and informed that friend that he’d been run over,” Bodzak said. “He told him that he wasn’t feeling well and asked him to come to take him to the hospital.”

Bodzak said when the friend arrived, he found Frichtel unconscious in his bedroom.

Police and the county coroner’s office said Frichtel was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Health Center and rushed to surgery, but was pronounced dead at 2:05 p.m. that day.

Jesse Hoffman, investigator for the Mahoning County Coroner’s office, said cause of death is still undetermined.

“Everything is pending an investigation,” he said. “Our office, generally speaking, could take up to three months, but it probably won’t be that long.”

Bodzak said the driver of the truck has been identified by police, but his name has not been released because no charges have been filed.

“Right now we’re in the preliminary stages of this investigation because we were not called or notified when this accident occurred,” he said. “We’re kind of working backwards right now.”

The driver’s truck is in the possession of the Canfield Police department pending an examination.

efranco@vindy.com