After tourist killed by truck on Anna Maria Island, city makes changes at intersection
A recent crash at the intersection of Gulf Drive and Marina Drive in Holmes Beach proved to be fatal and has resulted in changes to how the crosswalk will operate moving forward, according to Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer.
Two pedestrians, identified as Miriam Trotter and her daughter, Deborah Trotter, were struck by a 2018 GMC Sierra 2500 pickup truck on May 12 while using the new crosswalk on Gulf Drive between S & S Plaza and the oldWells Fargo building.
Both women sustained injuries, but Miriam, an 86-year-old Maryland resident on vacation, suffered critical injuries and was placed on life support. She died five days later.
Miriam was born in Cuba and immigrated to the United States with her parents and siblings in 1945, where she was a civil servant with the Veteran’s Administration and the Department of Defense, according to an obituary posted online.
“She deeply loved her family and chosen family of friends and was always the first person to help another in need. Her untimely and tragic death leaves many broken hearts,” it reads.
The 43-year-old driver of the pickup truck was traveling south on Marina Drive when took a left turn onto Gulf Drive and struck both pedestrians, police say. He had a green light at the time and told investigators that he did not see the two women.
But the pedestrians had the right of way, according to Tokajer.
“What you have to remember is that a green light does not automatically give you the right of way on the road. You have to watch for oncoming traffic and pedestrian traffic that’s approaching,” he said.
In this case, Tokajer said it is important to note the difference between green arrow signals, which truly give drivers the right of way, compared to green lights such as in this case, where drivers only have the right of way if there is no incoming traffic or pedestrians crossing legally.
Fatal crash prompts AMI traffic signal changes
Changes are coming to the intersection as a result of the accident, according to Tokajer, who said that lights would remain red at the intersection during active crossing signals from now on in order to avoid any potential confusion.
“With as many pedestrians as we have, we wanted to do not just the standard practice, but to make it safer for all our pedestrians,” said Tokajer.
“So we had the lights timed so that when a pedestrian pushes the crosswalk button and it gives them the right to the road all other traffic lights will get a red light.”
The newly added crosswalk was part of the $2.8 million City Center Project, which began in September.
The improvements added new sidewalks, bicycle lanes, landscaping, lighting, stormwater improvements and crosswalks.
