Pinellas County deputy hit, killed 'confused' man who was sitting in road, officials say

LEALMAN, Fla. - The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office says deputies are investigating a deadly deputy-involved crash that happened early on Sunday morning.

According to officials, Deputy Lira-Rangel was driving his fully marked agency-issued Chevrolet Tahoe south on 49th Street North in the median lane just before 1 a.m. Investigators say that as Deputy Lira-Rangel approached 58th Avenue North, an unknown woman in a red pickup truck that was headed north pointed toward the southbound lanes of 49th Street ahead of Deputy Lira-Rangel.

Authorities say the woman pointed as if she was trying to alert him to something. This turned Deputy Lira-Rangel's attention from the road, according to the sheriff's office.

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PCSO says Deputy Lira-Rangel felt a bump in the road. He immediately stopped and got out of his vehicle to investigate and discovered 73-year-old Mark Hunter lying in the roadway in the median lane, according to deputies.

Deputies learned that a witness saw Hunter sitting in the southbound median lane of 49th Street before the accident. The witness said he was alert but appeared confused. Hunter was not in a designated crosswalk, according to authorities.

The sheriff's office says Hunter was pronounced dead at the scene and next of kin was notified.

Officials say speed does not appear to be a factor in this case, and it is unknown at this time if impairment was a factor for Hunter.

Deputy Lira-Rangel has worked for the sheriff's office since 2020.

The investigation is ongoing.

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