JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Update: All lanes of Mayport Road have reopened.
A 60-year-old man is dead after he was hit by a school bus in the Mayport area of Jacksonville Friday morning, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
JSO Lieutenant Nassim Mana says at approximately 7 a.m., the man attempted to cross Mayport Road, in the east to west direction in the 2400 block. Mana says the driver of the school bus "did not see" the man crossing and therefore, struck him in the southbound lane of Mayport Road.
"There were no students inside the school bus, and there was no crosswalk when the pedestrian was struck," Mana told First Coast News.
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded to the scene, JSO says, as the man was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Mana says the crash marks as the 13th traffic fatality in Duval County this year and the fifth pedestrian. The crash is currently being investigated by traffic homicide and crime scene detectives, according to JSO.
Neighbors like Jim Duff say they weren't surprised to hear how the fatality was caused by jaywalking.
“I see people crossing near here and not going to light often and I’ll a lot of times even say something to somebody it’s not safe to cross in the middle of the road.” he added.
Crime and Safety Expert, Ken Jefferson hopes this fatality will motivate pedestrians in the area to stay within the crosswalk lines.
“And majority of people will pay attention to that then they would people Jaywalking or darting across the street. This totally could have be avoided and again unfortunately someone had to lose your life to learn this lesson,” Jefferson explained.