AULANDER – An early morning mishap here Monday claimed the life of an Aulander man.

James Garfield Cowan, 56, of 2432 NC 305 South was reportedly walking near his home at the time of the 6:21 a.m. accident.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike Warren of the Troop A, District II office in Ahoskie said Cowan was apparently out for his early morning walk when he was struck and killed by a 1996 Jeep driven by Robert Keith Phelps, also of Aulander.

“Mr. Cowan was walking north on the southbound shoulder of NC 305 near Aulander Elementary School at which time he apparently crossed the road and was struck by the Jeep,” Sgt. Warren said.

Warren added that Cowan was killed instantly.

“There were no contributing factors against the driver that caused this fatal accident,” Sgt. Warren noted.

NCHP Trooper C.W. Godwin was the investigating officer.

The fatality was the 18th of the year in the Troop A, District II service area (Bertie, Gates and Hertford counties). One-half of those fatalities have occurred in Bertie County.