University of Georgia student George Whittenburg dead after being struck by rolling truck

A 21-year-old University of Georgia student has died after being struck by his own pickup truck in a heartbreaking accident, authorities say.

According to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the incident occurred Wednesday evening on Peabody Street in Athens. Police say George Whittenburg, who was standing outside his parked 2018 Toyota Tundra, was struck when the vehicle began rolling backward. The truck ran over Whittenburg and continued rolling, colliding with another parked vehicle and eventually stopping against a tree.

Emergency responders transported Whittenburg to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries on Friday. He was a 21-year-old student at the University of Georgia originally from Austin, Texas.

Officials have not yet determined what caused the truck to roll. This incident represents the first traffic fatality in Athens-Clarke County so far this year, and the investigation remains ongoing.