He didn't hit me so it must of been the other Winn Dixie
Posted on 11/08/2005 4:34:22 PM PST by devane617
One person was seriously injured after Lakeland police said an 89-year-old woman drove her car through a Winn-Dixie window at Harden Boulevard on Tuesday morning.
Police said the woman, Blanche Garvin, was driving when she hit another car and a tree before hitting a man who was sitting outside the grocery store trying to raise money for charity.
Police said the man's leg was severed in the accident.
"The man was sitting there taking collections for his church at a little card table and it took his leg off," said witness Dwain Taylor. "His leg was like 10 or 15 feet from where he was laying."
"I was amazed," said witness Jerry Skillman. "I was just making a regular trip to get some prescriptions filled and then we heard the huge bang. Everybody began screaming and yelling and we didn't even know what was happening at that time."
Police said they think the accident occurred when Garvin accidentally hit the accelerator instead of her brake. The incident happened Tuesday morning. "We haven't verified it, but I think the poor lady hit the accelerator, panicked and probably hit it even further and didn't do this on purpose," said Lakeland Police Department Spokesman Jack Gillen. "This was accidental."
The victim, David Henry Clark from Dundee, is listed in stable condition at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Garvin is also at the hospital under observation.
Police don't expect to file charges against Garvin because the accident occurred in a parking lot that is considered private property. She could face civil charges, however.
Hmmm. When I saw this title, I immediately checked to see if it was either of the elderly drivers that hit me.
Nope, this is a new one.
I'm really getting tired of this.
Guy will probably sue, except that he doesn't have a leg to stand on...
Thay's cold. Come over here so I can kick you with my pegleg.
Yikes. Should have seen that one coming. Y'know, sometimes it's better to just think these things than it is to write them.
http://baynews9.com/Chat.cfm?event=evtListThreadsbyContentId&ThreadTypeId=1&ContentId=127689
Half witted post as so much of the board now is.
I agree, I am seeing way to many posts that should be left out.
Here's a question?
Would all driving improve if the accelerator and brake weren't so close? What if you had to press the brake with your left foot and the gas with your right? Old people may press the wrong pedal with the same foot, but would even an old person not know left from right?
Or how about the modifications for paraplegics? Why not put the gas/brake up near the wheel, even clearly labelled?
Hell, with all my video gaming experience, I would feel more in control of a car with a throttle control I coudl access with my hand.
These situations are "so" individual, that it would be hard to determine a fix for all. I believe the state of Florida should test over 80 at least once a year, maybe every six months. Also, family and friends needs to take action to make sure the elderly do not drive if they think it is not safe. I suspect someone close to her would tell you they knew it was unsafe for her to drive.
Some of them would spend five seconds looking at it, reading it and fumbling with it-every other time they had to use it. At 50 MPH.
I have two elderly relatives that drive. They're about eighty-five. One is fantastic. She drives better than a lot of people half her age. No lapses in attention, always looking everywhere that matters, none of this stopping-on-top-of-onramps-to-wait-for-an-opening nonsense.
The other is just the opposite. Lapses in attention, sudden dramatic corrections, doesn't see the green light come on for five seconds, reacting too things waaaaay to late.
Not nice.
He didn't hit me so it must of been the other Winn Dixie
"Police don't expect to file charges against Garvin because the accident occurred in a parking lot that is considered private property."
If this driver had a BAC of .07 would they still fail to file criminal charges? I'm doubtful.
There, all fixed.
Or an admission to having ingested any alcohol or drugs that day.
What a nightmare! I don't have the vaguest idea what Florida driving laws are, but they obviously need to keep a better eye on elderly drivers. All states do.
But the sign said "Drive thru"..
Sounds like you are on your own on private property in Florida. I wonder about other states. Something sounds fishy. I suspect if a drunk driver cause this accident they would be charged.
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