LAKELAND, Fla. — A pedestrian was hit and killed by a pickup truck in Lakeland on Sunday morning, officials said.
At approximately 5:00 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to a traffic crash involving a black Dodge pickup truck and a pedestrian near the intersection of Bartow Road and North Massachusetts Avenue.
Just before the crash, the Dodge was traveling northwest on Bartow Road in the inside lane.
A pedestrian was walking, attempting to cross Bartow Road, when he entered the truck's path and was struck.
The driver of the truck, 53-year-old James Booker of Lakeland, came to a stop and remained at the scene.
The Lakeland Police Department patrol units, Polk County Fire Rescue, and the Lakeland Fire Department all arrived on scene to begin life-saving measures.
The pedestrian, 23-year-old Jose Baez Belnier of Lakeland, was transported to Lakeland Regional Health, where he was pronounced dead.
Booker was not injured.
The roadway was shut down for approximately two hours to process the scene for the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact Traffic Crash Investigator Officer Travis Payne at travis.payne@lakelandgov.net.
