JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville woman is dead after a vehicle went off the road and hit her while she was walking on the sidewalk on Bowden Road in Southeast Jacksonville Thursday evening.
According to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, the pedestrian versus vehicle crash happened on Bowden Road at Eman Drive at around 7:30 p.m.
During a media briefing, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said a Jeep Cherokee was traveling east on Bowden Road.
Witnesses told police that the Jeep was being driven in an "erratic" matter.
Police said the vehicle crossed over to the westbound lane, jumped the curb and hit the woman who was walking on the sidewalk. She was pronounced dead on the scene, JSO said.
The witnesses of the crash stayed on scene with the victim and also worked together to help keep the driver on scene until authorities arrived. "The witnesses grabbed his keys and wouldn't let him leave," police said.
Both the driver and the deceased victim are from Jacksonville. The crash victim was identified as a woman in her mid to late 50s.
As police continue to investigate, they said alcohol and/or drugs are suspected to be factors in the crash. The driver has not been arrested or charged at this time.
JSO said this is the 140th fatal crash on a Jacksonville road in 2021.