Pedestrian hit and killed by semi on U.S. 301 North in Citra on Wednesday

CITRA — A 40-year-old pedestrian was killed Wednesday afternoon when he was struck by a semitractor-trailer on U.S. 301.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the truck, driven by a 66-year-old Sebring man, was northbound on U.S. 301 in the right lane.

The victim, who was from Citra, was walking southbound on the east shoulder of the roadway.

Troopers said witness accounts and a recording from the truck show the walker jumping in front of the truck. The truck then veers left and continues through a median.

The big rig hit the side of a horse trailer that was attached to a pickup truck and eventually stopped by Northeast 175th Street.

FHP officials there were no horses in the trailer, but there were rabbits.

Both the truck driver and his 31-year-old passenger, from Hawthorne, were uninjured, troopers said.

Marion County Fire Rescue spokesman James Lucas said his agency received the call at 1:03 p.m. and arrived at 1:09 p.m. The victim was pronounced dead at 1:13 p.m.

Road crews diverted traffic roughly a half of a mile before the incident location to allow troopers to finish their investigation.