Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol responded to a pedestrian who was hit and killed by a vehicle this morning in Marion County.
According to the FHP report, at approximately 5:40 a.m., a tractor-trailer driven by a 31-year-old Amityville, NY man was traveling south on I-75 in the right lane near the State Road 326 exit ramp (mile- marker 358).
A second tractor-trailer driven by a 24-year-old Orlando man was traveling south on I-75 in the right lane, well behind the first vehicle.
At the same time, 63-year-old Opa Locka man walked from west to east from the west paved shoulder and entered the first vehicle's lane of travel. The driver swerved left to avoid collision with the pedestrian but did not have time to do so and struck him with the tractor’s right front fender section.
The driver of the first vehicle then lost control, exited the roadway, and entered the grass median. The vehicle's trailer section overturned as the tractor section struck the median guardrail. The trailer came to rest on its left side, obstructing the left lane. The pedestrian initially came to rest within the right lane after being struck by the first vehicle.
The second vehicle was also unable to avoid the pedestrian and struck him with its front/undercarriage section.
The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on the scene by Marion County Fire Rescue, and the roadway was shut down for investigation.
The FHP did not release the names of the drivers or the pedestrian.
This is breaking news and may be updated if more details are known.
