LARGO – An Ohio truck driver was killed Sept. 11 while crossing East Bay Drive with breakfast in his hands.
Largo police Sgt. George Edmiston said Thomas Mercure parked his car-hauler semi in the eastbound curb lane of the six-lane highway, near Keene Road to get breakfast at a fast-food restaurant. He said Mercure, 68, left his son asleep in the truck.
Edmiston said it was shortly after 6 a.m. when Mercure walked across East Bay Drive to the McDonald’s Restaurant where he bought breakfast food.
As the victim returned to his truck, he was struck by a car in the center westbound lane, according to Edmiston. He said the car that struck Mercure was driven by Susan Baker, 58, of Hudson, who was on her way to work at Largo Medical Center.
Largo Fire Rescue paramedics treated Mercure at the scene and he was transported to Largo Medical Center where he died, Edmiston said.
Edmiston said it was unlikely Baker would be cited in the incident.
The death marks the sixth highway fatality in Largo this year, the fourth pedestrian death, Edmiston said. It is the 74th auto fatality in Pinellas County this year. Edmiston said the number of fatalities in the city so far is behind last year’s numbers.
Police Chief Lester Aradi has attributed the decrease in auto fatalities to increased traffic enforcement efforts led by Edmiston’s traffic enforcement unit, which has accounted for more than half of the traffic citations issued by the city police during 2006.
