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WWE Hall of Famer "Luscious" Johnny Valiant died on Thursday (April 5) aged 71.
Valiant, real name Thomas Sullivan, was struck by a pick-up truck while crossing a busy road in his home state of Pennsylvania in the early hours of the morning, according to WPXI.
He was taken to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
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Ross Township Det. Brian Kohlepp said: "We do have witnesses. There was other traffic at the time, so we were able to speak with people who actually witnessed the accident."
The stretch of road has been shut while an investigation takes place.
Valiant's wrestling career largely took place during the 1970s, when he performed alongside Jimmy and Jerry Valiant, his stage brothers. He twice won the WWF World Tag Team Championship, first in 1974 with Jimmy and then again in 1979 with Jerry.
After retiring from the ring, Valiant went into management, working alongside high-profile figures such as Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. He also featured in the television series The Sopranos.
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The WWE said it was "saddened to learn" of Valiant's death in an article on its website. He had been inducted into the company's Hall of Fame in 1996.
It credited Valiant for being "multi-faceted" as he went into color commentary for the WWE after retiring from wrestling.
It said: "WWE extends its condolences to Valiant's family, friends and fans."
Wrestler Luke Gallows—real name Andrew Hankinson—paid tribute to Valiant via his Twitter account.
"R.I.P Luscious Johnny Valiant," he wrote. "Always kind to me and very helpful early in my career."
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