49.9 F
Ocala
Friday, March 29, 2024

13-year-old boy dies after being struck by MCPS maintenance vehicle

A 13-year-old boy has died after he was struck by a Marion County Public Schools maintenance vehicle while trying to cross the road on Thursday morning.

The Ocala Police Department states that at approximately 6:50 a.m., the boy was riding with his mother on a motorcycle, and they were heading eastbound on SW 20th Street.

According to OPD, the boy spotted a friend on a nearby sidewalk, and the boy’s mother stopped the motorcycle in the center turn lane. The boy got off the motorcycle to cross the road.

The MCPS maintenance vehicle was traveling on SW 20th Street, and it was pulling a trailer and lawn mower. As the boy began running across the westbound lanes of traffic, he was struck by the vehicle.

13 year old boy dies after being struck by MCPS maintenance vehicle
The 13-year-old boy was attempting to run across the westbound lanes of SW 20th Street when he was struck by the vehicle (Photo courtesy of the Ocala Police Department)

The boy was critically injured and was transported to a local hospital. He was later airlifted to UF Health Shands Hospital where he sadly passed away due to his injuries.

On its Facebook webpage, the Ocala Police Department stated, “Our hearts go out to his family during this extremely difficult time.”

The crash is still under investigation, according to OPD.

13 year old boy dies after being struck by MCPS maintenance vehicle 1
The Ocala Police Department is investigating the fatal accident (Photo courtesy of the Ocala Police Department)

Following the accident, the westbound lane on SW 20th Street was temporarily blocked between SW 29th Terrace and SW 30th Court. The roadway has since reopened.