The Marquette City Police Department is investigating two incidents of pedestrian motor vehicle accidents that claimed the lives of two local men.

The first of the two incidents involved 86-year-old Marquette resident, Donald A. Papin. According to a police report, Papin was crossing West Washington Street, around Burger King, at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20 when he was hit by a van.

“There was a man walking from the area of Burger King across the street to do his laundry,” Detective Sgt. Mike Kohler of the Marquette Police said.

The van was driven by a 50-year-old Marquette resident on his way to work that morning. Papin was crossing the street from north to south with the van travelling east when he was hit. The collision fatally injured Papin.

“It was dark out, the roads were wet,” Kohler said. “There’s a bit of a hill there. I believe the pedestrian would have been at the crest of the hill.”

The second incident involved 31-year-old Thomas Oral Pizziola of Ishpeming. Pizziola was walking on the west shoulder of highway US-41 near the Econo Lodge motel, facing traffic, when he was struck by a semi at 6:44 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21.

“The subject was walking northbound on the west side of the highway, towards town,” Kohler said. “He would be coming against the traffic coming southbound towards Harvey.”

According to Kohler, the 30-year-old semi driver from Winnipeg, Manitoba was heading south on the highway when he came upon Pizziola who was northbound. The driver observed the pedestrian and changed lanes from the right lane to the passing lane when Pizziola crossed the road in front of him. The accident claimed Pizziola’s life.

Both incidents are still under investigation. More information will be released once the investigations are complete.