Early this morning, a pedestrian lost his life on the Arlington Expressway when he was struck by two vehicles, one of which was driven by an off-duty Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer, as confirmed by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO). The incident transpired near the Arlington Road overpass, around 5 a.m., causing significant disruptions to the westbound traffic flow before the road was reopened. In a statement obtained by News4Jax, the first vehicle involved was identified as a Chevrolet Tahoe which initially struck the man after he reportedly stumbled onto the expressway lanes.
Following the collision, an off-duty officer was alerted to the incident by a witness and upon approaching the scene attempting to assist, the officer encountered the man lying in the road and in an attempt to evade the victim the officer inadvertently ran over him JSO reported; this sequence of events was confirmed through witness accounts. According to a report by First Coast News, the expressway is designed with barriers and fencing specifically to discourage pedestrian crossings.
The victim, a man believed to be in his mid-30s whose identity was not immediately disclosed, succumbed to his injuries following the dual impacts. As detailed by Action News Jax, this incident marks Duval County's 119th traffic fatality for the year and the 31st involving a pedestrian, underscoring a persistent vulnerability for those traveling by foot in the region.
