CARTHAGE – A man with a history of lying in the road was killed early Wednesday morning when he was hit by a pickup truck on Route 142.

Investigators believe Bert Knox, 44, was intoxicated when he was run over about 5 a.m. and killed instantly a short distance from his home, said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Kim Micks, 38, of Peru was driving the 2005 Chevrolet pickup that hit Knox. Micks told police he could not avoid what he thought was a dead animal in the narrow two-lane road, McCausland said. No charges will be brought against Micks, who was uninjured.

Micks called it a terrible accident that he didn’t want to discuss when reached by phone Wednesday. “I’m having a really hard time with this,” he said.

Residents, other drivers and town officials reported seeing Knox lying in the same road several times, said Maine State Police Lt. Donald Pomelow.

“Over the years, a number of times, he has been located in the roadway,” said Pomelow, who didn’t know whether Knox was ever charged with anything for lying in the road.

Knox was in a section of road that is a 35 mph zone near his home at 560 Carthage Road, which is also Route 142, Pomelow said. Speed is not considered a factor in the accident.

Investigators do not believe that Knox was lying in the road intentionally, said Pomelow. He said a relative and state troopers who knew Knox said he had problems with alcohol, and it’s possible that he passed out in the road.

No autopsy is scheduled on the body, but tests are being done to determine Knox’s blood alcohol content and other potential factors, which is common in fatal crashes, said Pomelow and McCausland.

Sherri MacDonald of Dixfield, who described herself as a close friend of Knox and his family, said he is survived by his wife, a daughter, two sons and three grandchildren.

Family members did not return a request for comment left with MacDonald.

“I don’t know what to think about the accident, I don’t believe it, it’s not real to me yet,” she said.

Morning Sentinel Staff Writer David Robinson can be contacted at 861-9287 or at:

drobinson@centralmaine.com