Man Killed By Pickup Truck In Whitman Remembered As A Hero

WHITMAN (CBS) - A man killed crossing a street in Whitman is being remembered as a hero.

Witnesses say Edward Cordwell Jr. tried to save his girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter from an oncoming pickup truck Sunday in Whitman. He died, and the girl was injured and taken to the hospital.

"Whoever was with the little girl pushed the bike back, and saved her life, and he took the brunt of the impact," said a man who witnessed the crash. "It's so sad the guy passed but he's a hero at the same time, saving the little girl's life."

A simple memorial was placed on Temple Street where the 38-year-old died.

On Monday, the Registry of Motor Vehicles suspended the license of 46-year-old Richard Brown. The Attleboro man was driving his Dodge Ram pickup truck Sunday afternoon when he struck and killed Cordwell Jr. of Whitman.

According to the Department of Transportation, Brown has several driving violations including four speeding citations and four accidents. Now, after this accident, he has been stripped of his license indefinitely.

Witnesses say Cordwell did his best to protect the girl from being hit by the pickup.

"It's one of those things where, it's instinct. If you got it, you got it and if you don't, you don't," said Sean Fitzpatrick who witnessed the accident. "Luckily this guy had it."

Edward was the boyfriend of the little girl's mother Seanna Crawford, who is by her daughter's bedside at Mass General Hospital.

Although the RMV suspended Brown's license indefinitely, police say he has not been charged with anything. They are still investigating and re-interviewing witnesses before they issue their full report.