Homeless Man, Asleep on the Beach, Killed by Dump Truck

by Jaclyn Fontanella · 2010-07-02 06:30:00 UTC
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Growing up on the beach at the Jersey shore, my friends and I spent countless nights sleeping on the cool sand listening to the waves. Yes, it's illegal and slightly dangerous, but we knew we could always just run home if trouble found us.

Michael "Gray Wolf" Knockett was not so lucky. Knockett, who was homeless, had been entertaining tourists by dancing around in Virginia Beach for the past few years. Just after 8 a.m. this past Monday morning, he was run over and killed by an 18,000 pound dump truck while sleeping in a chair on the beach.

Summer is a rough time for the homeless who live outdoors. With four-month-long waits for a bed in Virginia Beach's only overnight homeless facility and a lack of safe, affordable housing options, the beach in this oceanfront community offered cool(ish) ocean breezes and a (relatively) soft place for Knockett (and other local homeless) to sleep. Unfortunately, on this night, Michael Knockett became another life unnecessarily lost to homelessness.

Deputy City Manager Dave Hansen told the Virginian-Pilot, "The driver didn't see him. They rolled over him and didn't realize until a tourist witness ran down the beach to notify them."

A spokesman for the public works department said that beach truck drivers cannot go over two miles per hour and are required to have city training, as well as a commercial driver's license. Whether it was Knockett's spot in a "depressed" part of the beach, his proximity to the trash bins or the lack of sunlight — the driver of the dump truck still should have been more aware of his surroundings.

This tragedy begs the question: how did such a deadly accident happen? And, more importantly, as the homeless continue to sleep on the beach, what will be done to prevent this from happening again in the future?

Charges have not yet been filed against the driver of the truck. One can only wonder, if this had been a local teenager or a tourist how much more outrage would be expressed? How much more media attention would it garner? The marginalization of the homeless continues, even in death.

Photo credit: Beadmobile

Jaclyn Fontanella has worked at a non-profit that provides housing and support services to homeless women in Washington, D.C.
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