ST. PETERSBURG – An 80-year-old man St. Petersburg man died Jan. 11 from injuries suffered when he was hit by a vehicle while walking in a marked crosswalk on westbound 54th Avenue North at 81st Street North in St. Petersburg.
According to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol, Myles Bernard Gillis was hit by a 2001 Ford 250 driven by Jon M. Smith, 59, of St. Petersburg about 4:10 a.m. Gillis was taken to Bayfront Medical Center where he died due to his injuries.
At the time of the crash, Maria Bekala, 50, of St. Petersburg was stopped facing northwest in the westbound inside lane of 54th Avenue North and 81st Street North. She had stopped to allow the pedestrian to cross.
Smith was traveling west in the inside westbound lane of 54th Avenue North approaching 81st Street North. He traveled into the middle westbound lane to pass Bekala, then traveled back into the inside lane, hitting Gillis with the front of his vehicle.
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