A Murphysboro man struck a parked car Friday near the corner of Poplar and West Cherry Street to avoid a collision with a pedestrian, which flipped his red GMC Jimmy over and totalled the vehicle.

Charles T. Mcghee, the 23-year-old driver, said he was amazed to be unharmed and without required medical attention after a crash of such magnitude. He said he spent about 30 minutes with the Carbondale police after his car was towed away to provide his account of what happened.

“I swerved to miss someone who ran out in the road in front of me,” he said.

Three cars were involved in the accident, and the other two were parked and without passengers, he said.

Mcghee said the pedestrian’s actions played a major role in causing the accident. Besides the initial move to avoid the pedestrian, he said he can’t recall the car flipping.

Kane Kerley, a senior from Rockford studying art whose car was damaged, said he has parked at the same spot for four years and never had much trouble, especially when it comes to car accidents.

“I’ve been parking here since July of ’07, and I haven’t had any problems besides a ticket here and there,” Kerley said.

According to the police report, Kerley’s blue Mercury Grand Marquis sustained cosmetic damage to the hood, which was nearly ripped from the vehicle’s front. Kerley was able to drive home shortly after the accident.

Total damages for the accident exceed more than $1,500, according to the report, and Mcghee does not have motor vehicle insurance.