JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is investigating after a woman in her 20s was killed in a vehicle vs. pedestrian crash in Riverside late Tuesday night.
A Kia Forte driven by a 32-year-old man was driving east on Forest Street toward Park Street around 11:10 p.m., JSO said. The driver told police he looked down, and when he looked back up, the woman was standing in the middle of the road, directly in front of the car.
The driver told police the woman "appeared to be crossing the road, and her face was buried in her cellphone," according to JSO. He was unable to stop or swerve and hit the pedestrian with the front passenger side of the car's bumper.
The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The woman was not in a marked crosswalk, police said. JSO wants to remind everyone to obey pedestrian laws and for drivers to look for pedestrians and motorcycles.
Pedestrian deaths are much higher this year than last, JSO said. This is the 153rd death on Jacksonville's roads in 2021, according to police.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, police said. The driver does not have any pending charges.