A 35-year-old Tampa man died late Wednesday night after walking into the southbound lanes of I-75 and being hit by two separate vehicles. The crash happened near milepost 267 at about 11:30 p.m., and the pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.
Troopers: First Hit By A Nissan, Then A Lincoln
According to Florida Highway Patrol troopers, the man was initially struck by a Nissan Sentra driven by a 57-year-old woman from Sun City Center, then hit again by a Lincoln MKZ driven by a 20-year-old Lakeland woman. Both drivers were headed southbound at the time, and troopers responded to the scene. Authorities have not released the victim's name or said why he entered the interstate, details first reported by the Tampa Free Press.
State Data Show Pedestrian Crashes Remain Deadly
State traffic numbers highlight just how vulnerable people on foot are on Florida roads. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' Traffic Crash Facts 2023 report lists roughly 1,844 pedestrian crashes and 101 pedestrian deaths statewide in 2023, a sobering reminder of the danger high-speed routes pose to anyone outside a vehicle. FLHSMV Traffic Crash Facts 2023.
Investigation Ongoing
Florida Highway Patrol troopers are still investigating the collision and have not said whether either driver could face charges. They are working to determine what led the man to enter the roadway, according to the troopers' account reported by the Tampa Free Press.
