Photo: (c) Kelly Shipp Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Indian River County, FL - A Vermont man was allegedly struck and killed while attempting to rescue a turtle from a busy Florida highway.
According to authorities, the fatal incident occurred around 4:20 p.m. Sunday on the southbound lanes of Interstate 95 near Sebastian Boulevard in Indian River County, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed.
The 77-year-old man had reportedly pulled over to the right shoulder, exited his vehicle, and began walking across the highway in an effort to help the turtle.
As he crossed the road, a 2020 Mazda SUV driven by a 44-year-old Miami woman slowed to avoid hitting him.
A Dodge Ram pickup truck behind the Mazda, driven by a 53-year-old man from Port St. Lucie, allegedly failed to stop in time and slammed into the SUV.
The impact pushed the Mazda off the road and through a fence, while the Dodge continued forward and allegedly struck the pedestrian.
Authorities say the man was thrown to the left shoulder of the highway and was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders.
The turtle also did not survive the crash, officials confirmed.
Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Jim Beauford stated, “The turtle did not receive a favorable outcome in the crash.”
The drivers and passengers in both vehicles were uninjured.
The southbound lanes of I-95 were closed for several hours as troopers investigated the scene.
No charges have been filed at this time.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials are urging the public to avoid stopping on high-speed roadways for non-emergency reasons.