The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said a man died Friday night after he ran into the path of a police sport utility vehicle being driven by an officer en route to help with security at the Mandarin High School football game.
The man, who was in his 40s, was struck about 9:44 p.m. in the 11500 block of Old St. Augustine Road. He died after being rushed to the hospital, Sheriff’s Office Commander Dan Shelton said in a news release.
The crash happened as police officers in two separate JSO Ford SUVs were driving southbound — one vehicle behind the other — in the inside lane of Old St. Augustine Road.
Shelton said the man, whose name hasn’t been released, “darted” eastbound across Old St. Augustine Road into the path of the police vehicles.
He said the “first officer swerved left but was unable to avoid striking the man with the right front of his vehicle.”
Both officers stopped and administered emergency aid until Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department first responders arrived, took over, and rushed the man to the hospital, where he died.
Shelton said the officer whose SUV struck the man is being placed on administrative leave in accordance with JSO policy while the incident is reviewed.
No injuries were reported by the officer, whose name has not been released by the Sheriff’s Office. The department’s Traffic Homicide and Crime Scene units are investigating the crash.
It was the 117th traffic fatality in Duval County this year and the 23rd involving a pedestrian, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Man running across Mandarin road dies after being struck by Jacksonville police vehicle
Reporting by Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
