Dayton-area pastor killed, second man injured after being hit by car in Florida

FORT WALTON, Florida — A Dayton-area pastor was killed and another local man was injured in a crash early Sunday morning in Fort Walton Florida, according to police.

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The crash happened just after midnight Sunday morning on Florida Highway 98 near a Holiday Inn Express. Two pedestrians, identified as Joel Burton, 42, and Zebulon Dill, 32, both from the Dayton-area, were hit by a car while trying to walk across a road near the hotel, a spokesperson for the Fort Walton police department told News Center 7.

Burton was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Dill was taken to HCA Fort Walton Destin Hospital where he suffered a broken leg and cuts down his leg, among other injuries, he told News Center 7′s John Bedell in a phone call Sunday night.

“It should not have happened,” Dill said. “It was like a flash of lightning. I just remember how fast he was coming.”

Dill identified Burton as the pastor at Simple Street Ministry in Harrison Twp. News Center 7 had spoken to Burton recently about vandalism that had happened at their church.

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Colt Shelton, 20, of Fort Walton Beach was identified as the driver of the car, according to police. He was not injured in the crash.

No arrests have been made and the crash remains under investigation, the spokesperson said.

News Center 7 is working to learn more and we will continue to update this story.

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