On Monday afternoon, a 49-year-old Hawthorne woman was hit by a tractor-trailer as she was standing by a mailbox on U.S. Route 301 near Northeast 78th Place, according to a Florida Highway Patrol press release released Wednesday.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 41-year-old Lehigh Acres man, was traveling northbound on U.S. 301 when his vehicle swerved off the road onto the right shoulder.
The right front of the tractor-trailer hit the woman, and the driver was not injured, according to the FHP press release.
The woman was transported to UF Health Shands Hospital where she later died.
FHP spokesperson Lt. Patrick Riordan said other cars that were traveling along U.S. 301 witnessed the collision, which will help with FHP’s investigation.
“We’re looking at weather conditions, road conditions, lighting conditions,” Riordan said. “ We’re also looking at whether somebody had alcohol or prescription medications or illegal substances in their bodies.”
Riordan said that FHP is still investigating the crash, and they are looking into if excessive speed was a factor.
Contact Troy Myers at @tmyers@alligator.org or follow him on Twitter @Troy_Myers1.
Troy is the criminal justice reporter and a fourth-year journalism major with an outside focus in business administration. He previously studied accounting for two years at Santa Fe College but has since transferred to UFCJC. When Troy isn’t writing, he enjoys going to the beach and spending time with his dog, identical twin brother and family.
