Man chased by ‘gorilla' runs into car on 281

An apparently suicidal man was hit by a car on U.S. 281 while being chased by a person in a gorilla costume early today, police said.

According to an incident report, a 25-year-old man was seen running toward traffic after leaving the Coco Bongo nightclub.

A witness who was leaving a nearby Hooters restaurant said several vehicles dodged the man as he ran east across the highway, but he eventually hit a white Infiniti traveling south on 281 near Bitters Road and rolled off the side of the vehicle.

He was rushed to University Hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening.

The person in the gorilla costume — who police found at Coco Bongo shortly after the wreck — told investigating officers that the man had said he wanted to kill himself before running toward the oncoming vehicles.

No other people were injured, and no one was charged in connection with the incident.