Belleville employee critically injured while setting up for Santa Parade
A 36-year veteran with the Belleville Street Department suffered life-threatening injuries Friday when he was struck by an SUV while he was setting up barricades on a downtown street before the annual Santa Parade, according to reports from his family and the police department.
David Harris, 64, of Belleville was injured in the collision near City Hall, according to his wife, Mary Harris.
He is in critical condition at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.
“All I want is for him to get well,” Mary Harris said Sunday.
David Harris was set to retire in January and this parade was going to be his last overtime service with the city, she said.
The annual parade goes through downtown streets and draws thousands of visitors to see a float featuring Santa Claus on the day after Thanksgiving. City workers are tasked with closing several streets before the parade begins at 10 a.m.
Belleville Police Department said officers were called at about 6:52 a.m. to the 100 block of South Illinois Street regarding a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.
According to the preliminary investigation, a city of Belleville employee was setting up barricades in preparation for the Santa Parade, according to a statement from the police department Sunday.
“He entered the roadway, walking across South Illinois at Washington, when he was struck by a black Dodge Journey traveling southbound,” the police statement said.
Mary Harris said her husband was first taken to Memorial Hospital in Belleville and then transferred to Barnes-Jewish.
“He is currently being treated for life-threatening injuries,” the police statement said.
“The driver of the vehicle remained on scene and has cooperated fully with the investigation.”
The scene was processed by the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit and Belleville detectives and crime scene officers are investigating the collision.
