Ashley White

Tallahassee Democrat

Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect first name for Mark Baumer.

TALLAHASSEE — A sport-utility vehicle killed an activist walking barefoot across America to promote awareness of climate change.

Mark Baumer, 33, of Providence, R.I., was hit at about 1:15 p.m. CT Saturday on U.S. 90, which roughly parallels Interstate 10, near Mossy Head, Fla., according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The area is about 60 miles northeast of Pensacola and 125 miles northwest of here.

He was walking westbound facing traffic along the south shoulder of the road when eastbound driver Sonja Siglar, 51, of Westville, Fla., failed to stay on the road, driving onto the shoulder and striking him.

Baumer died at the scene, and the police agency said alcohol was not a factor. Charges are pending.

The activist, who said he usually would walk on the shoulder of the road or in the grass, had finished Day 100 of his journey, starting from Providence and spending Friday night in Mossy Head. If he didn't have a shoulder to walk on, he said he would walk in the road, making sure he was visible.

He's walking nearly 700 miles to give the homeless a voice

He had spent Tuesday night in Westville, also on U.S. 90.

“The best surface is usually the white line because it’s painted and really smooth,” Baumer said Jan. 7 as he passed through Tallahassee. The line separates the traffic lane from the shoulder on busy roadways.

His goal was to walk barefoot to California. After it started snowing in Ohio, he regrouped and took a bus to Florida.

In 2010, Baumer walked from Georgia to California with a cart, backpack — and shoes — in 81 days.

“The big overall goal is raise awareness and fight climate change,” Baumer said when he passed through Florida's capital city. “The more specific goal of that is to raise awareness and funds for an organization back in Rhode Island that’s fighting climate change.”

The FANG Collective of Pawtucket, R.I., whose acronym stands for Fighting Against Natural Gas, says in fundraising materials that it supports nonviolent resistance to fracking and other gas-industry initiatives.

U.S. man going barefoot for charity in icy winter

Baumer's initial goal was to raise $10,000. On Jan. 16, he updated his crowdfunding page to say fundraising was three quarters of the way to its goal; as of Monday evening, more than $18,000 had been pledged.

“Mark was an amazingly compassionate, empathetic, humble, joyful, generous, mindful and caring person," collective members posted Sunday on Facebook. "He was a talented poet and artist with an ability to tap into the human experience with his work."

Baumer updated a blog daily, typically in the morning. His last blog post — on Saturday when he would later be run over — began with a picture that included his toes and the word “Killed” with an arrow above it spray painted asphalt.

Follow Ashley White on Twitter: @AshleyyDi