Crestview PD Investigating Pedestrian Death in Traffic Accident

Dec. 1, 2017

by Brian Hughes

Crestview, FL – The Crestview Police Department is investigating a pedestrian’s death on State Road 85 South/ Ferdon Boulevard South that occurred in front of the Super 8 Motel near Cracker Barrel Drive south of the Interstate 10 interchange last evening.

The Police Department received a call at 7:24 p.m. reporting a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle. Okaloosa County EMS and the Crestview Fire Department also responded to the scene, where a white male victim was found to have been hit by a 2011 Ford pickup truck driven by Joseph Benoit, 65, of Holt, who was carrying two passengers.

Crestview Police summoned the state medical examiner when a heart monitor deployed by paramedics indicated the victim, Rex L. Christensen, 70, of Utah had died of his injuries. Mr. Benoit, who was driving in the inside lane, stated Mr. Christensen walked into his path in a dimly lit section of the highway, and had been wearing dark colored clothing, making him difficult to see, according to the preliminary traffic crash report.

There was no crosswalk or traffic control signal in the part of the busy four-lane highway where Mr. Christensen tried to cross, according to the report.

The accident and subsequent investigation resulted in one lane of the highway being closed in each direction for about three hours as northbound traffic was rerouted to one of the southbound lanes to circumvent the accident scene. No other injuries were reported, the truck sustained minor damaged, and no citations were issued nor are charges expected to be made. Normal traffic flow was restored at 10:47 p.m. The accident is still under investigation.