Alachua County, FL — June 15, 2025, a pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run truck accident at about 8:55 a.m. on southbound Interstate 75 near Gainesville.

Authorities said a man was walking near mile marker 382 when he was hit by a black semi-truck pulling a white trailer. The truck did not stop after the collision.

The pedestrian, a 45-year-old Gainesville man, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near Williston Road, according to authorities. His name has not been made public yet.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Alachua County crash.

Commentary

When someone is killed by a hit-and-run semi-truck, as reportedly happened on I-75 near Gainesville, the natural question is: How does something like this happen, and how do we find out who’s responsible when the truck drives away?

We don’t yet know many key details about this case. Authorities say a pedestrian was struck and killed by a black semi pulling a white trailer, but they haven’t said whether the victim was on the shoulder, in a lane or somewhere else entirely. We also don’t know if there were any witnesses or traffic cameras in the area, or whether law enforcement has any leads on the truck’s identity. Those are crucial unanswered questions.

Depending on exactly where the pedestrian was walking, very different legal questions arise. If the person was in the roadway, investigators will want to know why. If he was off to the side, the focus turns to what the truck driver was doing, and why he drifted so far over. Without that context, it’s hard to assess fault. But none of that analysis can happen unless someone first identifies the truck.

It’s easy to assume a hit-and-run by an 18-wheeler is hopeless, but that’s not always the case. Many highways now have camera systems that can capture license plates or at least vehicle characteristics. A black cab pulling a white trailer is still a specific enough combination that investigators might narrow the search through toll records, weigh station logs or GPS pings, if someone is willing to pursue those leads.

Beyond that, trucking companies often track their vehicles using GPS and keep driving logs that can verify location and activity. But that evidence has a short shelf life. If authorities or outside investigators don’t act fast, crucial data can be lost forever.

One lingering question in these types of crashes is whether the truck driver even realized they hit someone. That’s possible, but not a defense. Commercial drivers have a duty to maintain awareness of their surroundings, especially when driving massive rigs through populated areas. If the impact was strong enough to kill someone, that’s the kind of event a conscientious driver should notice and report.

But again, this all depends on what the evidence shows. That means obtaining dash cam footage, if it exists; reviewing black box data from the truck’s engine control module; and analyzing phone records to determine whether the driver was distracted. Every one of these tools plays a part in determining the truth.

Key Takeaways

• We don’t yet know exactly where the pedestrian was or how the truck hit him. That information is key to determining fault.
• The truck left the scene, but black-and-white vehicle descriptions, GPS records and traffic cameras may help identify it.
• Even if the driver didn’t realize what happened, failing to stop is not legally excusable.
• Finding the truth will require urgency; data from the truck and its company may not be preserved for long.
• Accountability starts with evidence: dash cams, black boxes and records can clarify what happened and who’s responsible.