Pedestrian hit, killed by JSO cruiser responding to robbery

Jacksonville, FL — A pedestrian who walked into the path of a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer responding to a robbery call was hit and killed late Wednesday.

Officer T.L. James was responding to a robbery with an individual injured at Harveys Supermarket on University Blvd. and Terry Road around 9:45pm.

“Police officer James was in his marked patrol vehicle not using any emergency equipment whatsoever and he’s traveling eastbound on University Blvd.”, said Chris Butler, Chief of Investigation with JSO.

The officer was following a Jacksonville Fire Rescue emergency vehicle with its lights and sirens activated.  As the JFRD vehicle approached a Burger King near Philips Hwy., a white man - now identified as 62-year-old Blane Land of Jacksonville -  ran from the business and directly in front of the rescue vehicle.

“Rescue vehicle had to sound its air horn. The gentleman made it in front of JFRD vehicle...but he stopped in the center lane. As soon as the Fire Rescue vehicle passed him he then darted back across toward the Burger King and was struck by police officer T.L. James”, said Butler.

James is a three-year veteran and has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard operating procedure.

Chief Butler says it’s unclear if this was a suicide attempt; it is not being ruled out at this early stage of the investigation.

The officer wasn’t one of the primary officers who received the robbery call.  He told investigators he was going the speed limit at the time.

“He heard the call go out and he was responding in addition to that”, said Butler.