A 37-year-old Summerfield man with a long rap sheet was killed Saturday night when he was crossing U.S. Hwy. 441.
James Carl Whitehurst had been crossing the highway at 10:35 p.m. near the intersection with Sunset Harbor Road when he apparently stepped in front of a 2009 Lincoln driven by Justin J. Sherk, 31, of Summerfield, according to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol.
Whitehurst was pronounced dead at the scene by Marion County Fire Rescue.
The FHP report that results are pending to determine if Whitehurst had consumed alcohol prior to the fatal accident.
Whitehurst had been released from the Marion County Jail on Dec. 3 following a November arrest on a charge of breach of the peace. He had previously been booked at the Marion County Jail on a variety of offenses.
Sherk had been wearing his seatbelt and was not injured.