A St. Petersburg police officer struck and killed a man in a wheelchair early Sunday morning in the 6400 block of 38th Avenue South.
The officer, who was in a marked patrol car when the incident occurred at 4:20 a.m., was not injured.
The victim was identified as 45-year-old Harold Charles Fleming, Jr., 6153 39th Ave. N., in St. Petersburg.
Investigators said that Officer Mehmedin Karic, 26, and a sworn officer since October 2010, was driving his marked cruiser east in the median lane of 38th Avenue North. He was not responding to a call at the time and was not operating his cruiser in emergency mode. The speed limit at that location is 40 mph.
The victim was in his wheelchair crossing 38th Avenue North at or near the intersection of 64th Street when he was struck by the front of the cruiser, police said. Fleming was thrown from his wheelchair.
Paramedics were called took and Fleming to St. Petersburg General Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:40 a.m.
Investigators said that Karic never saw Fleming, who was dressed in dark clothing, crossing the street and that the street light near that intersection was not working.
The accident investigation is continuing.
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