The Florida Highway Patrol reported that on Monday night at 11:30 p. m., a Seffner man was killed when he was hit by a truck.

Darryl Ellis, 46, was trying to cross Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard near Lakewood Drive when he was hit by a pickup truck driven by Johnny Clark, 20.

Troopers said Mr. Ellis was not crossing in the marked crosswalk, and walked into the path of the pickup truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to his niece, Roneisha Wilson, Mr. Ellis is a native of Miami.

“He was disabled and hadn’t worked for quite some time. He actually was a preacher for a while, and was really close to the Lord.

“We don’t know where he was coming from, or where he was going when he was hit.”

Ms. Wilson said after Mr. Ellis graduated from high school, he moved up to West Palm Beach, where he started preaching.

“The entire family moved there after Hurricane Andrew. We also have family in the Tampa area.”

Mr. Ellis was the father of 8 children, and also had 4 grandchildren.

Funeral services were incomplete at press time. Brown’s Funeral Home of Lantana, Florida is in charge of handling arrangements.