The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating an accident in which a man from Lake Mary tried to kill himself early Thursday morning by running out in front of a tractor trailer near Exit 111B in Deltona.
Justin Edwards was spotted by drivers walking along the westbound I-4 off ramp at Saxon Blvd. The witnesses told 911 dispatchers the man was walking barefoot and not wearing a shirt and drivers had to swerve at times to avoid hitting him.
A deputy with the Highway Patrol responded to the area around 12:35AM and stopped Edwards from walking onto I-4. Edwards told the deputy he had already walked from DeLand and was trying to get to Lake Mary by foot because he didn't have a ride. The deputy offered to call someone to come pick him up
The deputy reported he saw a tractor trailer approaching in the distance traveling westbound. As the deputy was looking away to write the number down Edwards was giving him he heard Edwards stop speaking and observed him make a dash into oncoming traffic on I-4. Edwards deliberately stopped in front of the oncoming truck and was struck.
The force of the impact threw Edwards 20 feet away from where he was hit. The truck was able to stop 800 feet away from the accident scene. The trucker never had a chance to stop before he hit Edwards.
According to police record Edwards, 19, has a record of mental health problems and has received treatment for other episodes where he tried to harm himself.
Edwards was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach in critical condition with head and neck injuries. According to the Oralndo Sentinel when they tried contacting a representative with the Hospital for an update on his condition the hospital said he was no longer a patient there. There is still no word as to whether he was transferred to another hospital or succumbed to his injuries.
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