FRANKLIN, Pa. -- A man's body was apparently mistaken for a dead deer along a state highway, police said.

The body was lying along State Route 157 for as long as three days, authorities said. He was wearing tan clothing, which apparently led passing motorists to assume it was a dead deer, Venango County Coroner John Greggs said.

A Pinegrove Township employee reported the body yesterday morning after noticing the man's shoes, Mr. Greggs said.

State police today identified the man as Jason Knight, 32, of Franklin.

They said he apparently was struck by an unknown vehicle, which left the scene, perhaps as early as Friday.

Police this afternoon released some new details about the incident. They said they had learned that Mr. Knight was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a crash at 5:30 p.m. Friday in the town of Fryburg in Clarion County, not far from the Venango County border. He left that accident scene on foot and was apparently walking for some time on Route 157 before he was struck by a vehicle.

Police said they found near Mr. Knight's body the remnants of vehicle parts belonging to a Jeep Cherokee, around model year 2000.

They asked anyone who knows anything about a Jeep being damaged on Friday to call them at 814-676-6596.