Former boxing champion Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker died after being struck by a vehicle while crossing the street at a busy Virginia Beach intersection, authorities said Monday.
Whitaker, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene around 10 p.m. Sunday night, police said in a statement.
While police said an investigation is ongoing and no decision had been made on charging the driver of the vehicle, Whitaker’s son was interviewed by The Virginian-Pilot.
“I guess he was wearing dark clothes, the road was dark, and the driver didn’t see him,” Devon Whitaker told the newspaper.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee was a 1984 Olympic gold medalist and had 17 knockouts in 45 career fights (40-4-1) at multiple weight classes. He won titles at lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight.
The 1989 Fighter of the Year, Whitaker became a boxing trainer following his retirement from the ring in 2001.
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