A Jacksonville Transportation Authority bus struck and killed a pedestrian Sunday on I-95 south near the University Boulevard West exit, authorities said. The bus was out of service with no customers on board, the driver was not hurt, and Florida Highway Patrol troopers along with Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigators responded to the scene.
According to First Coast News, JTA confirmed the vehicle was not in passenger service at the time of the crash and had no riders aboard. The outlet reported that JTA is fully cooperating with investigators and noted that its coverage included a photo credited to the Florida Department of Transportation. First Coast News also reports that Florida Highway Patrol troopers and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detectives are treating the case as an active investigation.
Jacksonville’s pedestrian death count keeps climbing
The deadly crash lands in the middle of a troubling trend. Pedestrian fatalities in Jacksonville have risen compared with the same point last year, which has fueled stepped-up enforcement efforts and calls for engineering changes on city streets. In February, early-year counts were already up and officials had pushed for targeted safety measures, according to Hoodline’s reporting.
Troopers comb scene as probe continues
Investigators are expected to process the crash scene and review available video and witness accounts as they work to understand what happened. In a statement to First Coast News, JTA reiterated that the bus operator was not injured and that the authority is cooperating with the investigation. Officials have not yet released the pedestrian’s identity or identified a probable cause for the crash.
The investigation remains active, and officials say they plan to release additional details when they are available. Drivers in the University Boulevard corridor should expect remnants of the emergency response to affect travel while investigators finish their work.
