Man walking on sidewalk fatally struck by vehicle in Ocala

OCALA, Fla. – A 22-year-old man walking on the sidewalk was killed when a vehicle veered off the roadway and struck him Tuesday night, according to the Ocala Police Department.

Police said William Ryan Abbott was on the sidewalk near State Road 200 and SW 35th Terrace when a vehicle that was on Interstate 75 left the roadway toward the right, traveled onto the sidewalk and grass and struck him.

Abbott was taken to an area hospital as a trauma alert, where he died as a result of his injuries.

In a comment on Facebook, police said the crash was not a hit and run. They also said that while the incident is still under investigation, it’s not suspected that drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

Police said his death marks the sixth pedestrian fatality in Ocala this year.