Tow Truck Hits Woman in Wheelchair

A woman in a wheelchair was struck by a tow truck while in a crosswalk at the intersection of 5th Avenue N and 34th Street in St. Petersburg, Florida. The accident happened at approximately 5:45 a.m. Investigators have stated that the woman was crossing shortly before the light turned green.

The photograph clearly shows the wheelchair next to the crosswalk. In Florida, a pedestrian in a crosswalk who is obeying a signal to cross is a protected class and has the right of way under section 316.130, Florida Statutes. When a driver approaches a marked crosswalk at an intersection and a pedestrian has the signal to cross, the driver must stop and cannot proceed until the pedestrian has cleared the intersection. This situation most frequently occurs when a vehicle wants to turn right at an intersection on a green light while the pedestrian has the signal to cross at the same time. Further, when making a right turn under a red light, a driver is required to come to a stop before reaching the crosswalk because a pedestrian may be crossing under a walk signal at a perpendicular angle. Failure to come to a stop before reaching the intersection under such circumstances can cause an accident with the pedestrian and result in serious injury or death. The woman in the wheelchair's death appears to be a wrongful death under Florida law and is legally actionable.

Other images of the accident are below.