SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have identified the man who died in an accident while walking on a Kansas highway Friday in Shawnee County.

Just after 4a.m., the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting that there was a man later identified as Colton L. Griggs, 21, Topeka, walking in the middle of the road on SE Hwy 40 East of K-4 Highway, according to Sgt. Scott Wanamaker.

Deputies were dispatched and while traveling to the scene, the emergency communication center received a second 911 call notifying them that a car had struck a pedestrian.

At that time, medical personnel were dispatched. When the first deputy arrived to the scene he located Griggs and found that he was deceased, according to Wanamaker.

The initial investigation of the scene indicates that Griggs was walking westbound in the middle of the highway when he was struck by the westbound 2017 Hyundai Accent driven by Kevin Dixon of Lawrence.

There is no suspicious activity believed to be involved in this accident and no signs of impairment of the driver of the vehicle, according to Wanamaker. 

Officials shut down SE Highway 40 for an extended time from the Kansas 4 Highway interchange to SE Tecumseh Road. Motorist were advised to use alternate routes of travel until the scene is cleared.