A 73-year-old man from Reddick was killed Wednesday evening when a pickup truck veered off the road and struck him as he rode a lawn mower along the shoulder of NW 118th Street Road near Reddick. The crash happened around 6:45 p.m., and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a southbound Ford F-150 failed to handle a sharp right curve, left the roadway, and went onto the shoulder. Troopers say the truck hit a traffic control sign, then crashed into the man on his John Deere mower before continuing on and striking a large tree. The F-150 driver was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, according to News4JAX.
Rural Road Dangers
Troopers say crashes involving people on riding mowers are a recurring concern on Florida’s rural roads, where narrow shoulders leave little room for error. In a similar case last August in Sumter County, a 71-year-old man died after a pickup tried to overtake his lawn mower and collided with it, as reported by WFTV.
Investigation Ongoing
Florida Highway Patrol troopers shut down the stretch of NW 118th Street Road to document the scene and are continuing to investigate what led up to the crash. No names have been released and no charges have been announced, according to News4JAX.
