SARASOTA FL - Florida Highway Patrol announced one person died after they were struck by a vehicle while attempting to cross U.S. 41 Sunday evening.
The crash took place as a 66 year-old-man was driving a Chrysler van on the inside lane of U.S. 41 approaching the intersection with Springfield Drive.
As the van approached a Hyundai Sedan driven by a 67-year-old man from Cape Coral with a 51-year-old passenger from Sarasota, and a 71-year-old passenger from Williamstown New Jersey had stopped in the grassy shoulder just north of Springfield Drive.
Shortly after stopping, a door to the Hyundai sedan opened and the passenger from New Jersey exited the car. After exiting the Hyundai sedan the man from New Jersey attempted to cross the southbound lanes of U.S. 41, from west to east in the dark.
At 8:01:00 PM the driver of the Chrysler van encountered the pedestrian and was unable to avoid a crash.
The pedestrian was struck by the right-front of the van then struck by the right corner of the windshield. The impact forced the pedestrian off the roadway back onto the grassy shoulder where he came to a rest.
The driver of the van brought the vehicle to a controlled stop of the grassy shoulder along southbound U.S. 41.
Sarasota County EMS responded to the crash and pronounced the man from New Jersey deceased at the scene of the accident.
The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash.