NOTE: What kind of hitch?? Was it defective? Did it break?

What happened.

Man was killed on I-71 after getting out to inspect hitch

By Jarrod Zickefoose

September 18, 2009, 3:03PM

BROOK PARK -- A Cleveland man inspecting a trailer hitch on a pickup truck while stopped in a center lane of Interstate 71 was killed Thursday evening by an oncoming car.

Junior Lane, 47, was standing between the trailer and a Dodge pickup truck that he had exited when the trailer and truck were struck by a Mercedes driven by Rolf Barth, 72, of Columbus.

The accident occurred at 9:23 p.m. in the northbound lane, north of Snow Road.

The road was dark but illuminated, police said.

Lane was one of two passengers in the Dodge pickup that the driver stopped in "one of the center lanes," Brook Park police said.

The other passenger also left the pickup with Lane to repair the hitch but avoided being struck.

Police said alcohol was not involved.

No charges were filed as of Monday.

Lane was pronounced dead at Southwest General Hospital, Middleburg Heights.