JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man who was struck and killed late Sunday night on University Boulevard at Wiltshire Street in Arlington has been identified as 63-year-old John Feaster.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Feaster was crossing University just before 11 p.m. and was not in a crosswalk when he was hit. Feaster lived on Gable Lane, about one-quarter mile from where he was killed.
Police said the driver, whose name was not released, stopped and was cooperating with traffic homicide detectives.
A friend told News4Jax that Feaster was walking home from the Broken Spoke, a bar on University Boulevard, when he was hit. Kathryn Manning, a manager of the bar, said he hung out there all the time.
"Everybody loved John," Manning said. "He was a family man, and that's all I can really say. He was great. He was a good grandfather, a good dad, a good husband."
Manning said that since Feaster lived only four blocks away, he would often walk or get a ride from his wife, Pat.
Feaster was a longtime employee at Barber and Associates, a commercial roofing company that is also located in Arlington. Company officials didn't want to speak, but issued a statement:
"He has been with our company for 25 years and will be tremendously missed as a dear friend, a treasured part of our family and a loyal employee."
Feaster was not using a crosswalk, but the family and others in the area said the lights at the crosswalk closest to that area don't work anyway.
Gina Denicola, who works in the area, said pedestrians must wait for traffic to die down.
"That's the only way I can cross the street," Denicola said. "It's very scary."
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said the non-working light could cause confusion for pedestrians
"They are on their own since the 'walk' and 'don't walk' sign is not working," Smith said.