Mar. 2—An Owensboro city employee was killed Wednesday morning in a traffic collision on East Parrish Avenue.

Billy Tyler, 46, of Utica, was killed shortly after 7 a.m. while working on East Parrish Avenue near Leitchfield Road. Tyler was stuck by a vehicle while he on duty for the city removing debris from the street, City Manager Nate Pagan said.

Tyler was a crew leader with the city street department.

"Billy was an exemplary employee," city Communications and Marketing Manager Shaelie Velez said during a brief press conference Wednesday afternoon at City Hall.

Tyler was "well known and loved by his coworkers," Velez said. "The city is devastated by this loss, and we express our deepest condolences to his family as a result of this tragic accident."

Few details about the accident were being released Wednesday.

East Parrish Avenue was closed at the intersection of Leitchfield Road while the collision was investigated by OPD's accident reconstruction team.

City officials didn't take any questions after Wednesday's press conference and referred all questions to the Owensboro Police Department.

The cause of the collision was still under investigation as of Wednesday afternoon, said Officer Dylan Evans, OPD's Public Information Officer.

Support teams from Owensboro Health and River Valley Behavioral Health were made available to city workers, and additional grief counseling was available through Hospice of Western Kentucky.

"This is truly a difficult day for the city and our wonderful employees," Pagan said.

Pagan said Tyler was performing "essential duties" by removing debris from the roadway in response to a complaint the city received Wednesday morning.

"Billy was doing what many of our workers woke up to do today, to go to work on behalf of our community," Pagan said.

City officials spoke with Tyler's family at Owensboro Health, "and we pledge to support Billy's family during the difficult days ahead, with all the resources the city has available," Pagan said.

The city's flag will lowered in Tyler's honor until further notice, Velez said.