A 44-year-old man was struck by a car and killed on Interstate 75 in Marion County on Saturday night after he parked his vehicle on the side of the highway and began walking in and out of traffic.
The fatal accident took place a mile north of mile marker 355 (U.S. Hwy 27) on I-75 at around 9:23 p.m. on Saturday, February 8.
According to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol, a 44-year-old man from Brooker, Florida, parked his vehicle on the east paved emergency lane of I-75.
The FHP report indicates that multiple witnesses saw the man “darting in and out of northbound traffic.” The witnesses say that several vehicles had to swerve to avoid striking the man.
The man was eventually struck by a sedan being driven by a 17-year-old girl from Ellenton, Florida.
He was pronounced deceased at the scene by responding Marion County Fire Rescue personnel.
The driver and her two passengers, a 50-year-old man and 14-year-old boy both from Ellenton, were uninjured in the crash.