JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A pedestrian is dead after a crash on Merrill Road, marking the 174th traffic fatality in Duval County this year.
The crash happened at approximately 6 p.m. Sunday in the 7000 block of Merrill Road.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, a man in his 70s was killed in the crash after attempting to cross multiple lanes of traffic on foot.
Police said the man made it to the outside, eastbound lane of Merrill Road, but was struck by a pickup truck before making it to the sidewalk.
The Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
The driver of the pickup truck is cooperating, and showed no sign of impairment, according to police.
The crash shut down eastbound lanes of Merrill Road at Arlex Drive and caused westbound lanes to move slowly, police said.
Police said the speed limit along Merrill Road is 35 mph, and a witness told police the pickup truck involved was traveling at approximately 36 mph at the time of the crash.
JSO Sgt. Robert Hungerford suggested a couple of ways for pedestrians to safely cross a roadway.
"Number one, look for a well-lit location, but more importantly cross at a red light where pedestrians are given the right of way," Sgt. Hungerford said. "It's much safer at a crosswalk."
This death brings the total traffic fatalities in Duval County to 174, something Hungerford said Jacksonville is no stranger to.
"You can be fairly assured that any hundred block within Duval County, at some point, there's probably been a traffic crash with great injury or a fatality," Hungerford said. "It's just the nature of traffic."