Man fatally struck by truck, dragged 500 feet in Franklin Park

A man was struck by a truck and dragged 500 feet before he was discovered dead in the road early Saturday in west suburban Franklin Park.

Two drivers found 24-year-old Artemio Pacheco-Gallegos near Franklin Avenue and North Wolf Road a few minutes before 5 a.m., according to a statement from Franklin Park police.

Pacheco-Gallegos, of the 3100 block of South Komensky, was dead at the scene, police said. He had suffered injuries to his head and torso; and his clothing was torn.

Investigators found that Pacheco-Gallegos had left work about 1 a.m., then returned about 4:20 a.m. to pick up his car. For an unknown reason, he climbed underneath a truck in the parking lot of the company where he worked. He was still under the truck when it left the parking lot to make deliveries, and was dragged about 500 feet.

The driver of the truck was later found, but said he didn’t know Pacheco-Gallegos was under the vehicle, police said. He submitted to blood and alcohol testing, and the results are pending.

An autopsy Sunday found Pacheco-Gallegos died of multiple blunt force injuries, and his death was ruled an accident, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Cook County sheriff’s police are assisting Franklin Park police with the investigation.