The Florida Highway Patrol is turning to the public to help identify a hit-and-run driver who struck a pedestrian on Thursday morning in a Walmart parking lot in Marion County.
Shortly after 10:45 a.m., a 39-year-old man from Ocala was walking in a northwesterly direction in the parking lot of the Walmart located at 9570 SW State Road 200 in Ocala.
At the same time, a vehicle was traveling southbound in the parking lot. According to FHP, the vehicle is believed to be a 2014-2022 Mazda 3.
At the end of the parking row, the vehicle began to make a right turn when the left front side of the vehicle struck the pedestrian. After a short exchange of words, the driver of the vehicle fled the parking lot in an unknown direction.
The pedestrian sustained minor injuries.
The FHP incident report indicates that the vehicle is silver in color and may have damage to the left front bumper. In addition, the vehicle also has significant damage to the left rear bumper from a previous accident.
Images that were taken from inside the Walmart and after the crash revealed that the driver appears to be an older white male who is approximately 68-plus years of age, around 5’6”, and he was wearing a red shirt and tan shorts at the time of the incident.
If anyone has any information about the vehicle or driver involved in the hit-and-run crash, please contact the FHP Communications Center at 1-800-387-1290 or Crime Stoppers of Marion County at 352-368-7867.