Driver sought in hit-and-run fatality

[File photo by Bruce Ackerman]

A 76-year-old Ocala man died Tuesday night (Sept. 23) after he was struck on an unlit portion of southwest State Road 200 and the driver did not stop, the Florida Highway Patrol has reported.

According to an FHP press release, the unidentified victim was struck while pushing a cart full of groceries northbound across the westbound lanes of SR 200 at the intersection with Southwest 60th Street “in a dark area with no lighting” around 7:57 p.m.

The FHP press release identified the vehicle as a “full sized van,” dark in color, with a topper and front-end damage.

Anyone with information about the hit and run driver or vehicle is asked to contact Cpl. John Gurrieri at (352) 512-6641 or Marion County Crime Stoppers at (352) 368-7867.

According to the FHP Crash Dashboard at flhsmv.gov, preliminary information from Jan. 1 to Sept. 16 indicates that in Marion County there have been 54 traffic fatalities and 13 of those were pedestrians. There have been two hit and run fatalities during the same time frame, according to the website.