Tragedy struck in Holmes Beach.
An 80-year-old Canadian woman died after she and her husband were struck on their way to the beach by an SUV Jan. 24 in the 5600 block of Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach.
Marion Timmins died at Blake Medical Center in Bradenton, where EMS had transported the couple.
Her husband, William Timmins, 78, had surgery and was in stable condition Jan. 26 at Blake, according to Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer.
The couple, visiting Anna Maria Island from Thorold, Ontario, was crossing Gulf Drive toward the beach, north of Guava Street, at about 2 p.m., when a motorist in a white 2016 Chevy Suburban traveling south struck both pedestrians, according to the Holmes Beach police report.
Holmes Beach Chief William Tokajer called the crash a “tragedy” the evening of the incident. He said Jan. 25 he didn’t expect to charge the driver, Tracey Thompson of Anna Maria, who had a 7-year-old passenger. There were no injuries to either person in the SUV, according to the report.
Thompson told police she saw the couple at the last second, tried to stop and failed.
There is no crosswalk in that area.
A witness who was sitting on a balcony at 5613 Gulf Drive reported seeing the man “hurry along” his wife as they crossed the street before the SUV struck them both.
Authorities estimate the SUV was traveling 30 mph in the 35-mph zone.
The recommended speed on the curve, which is banked by a guardrail, is 25 mph.
Accident reconstruction experts from the Bradenton Police Department assisted in the investigation, Detective Sgt. Brian Hall said Jan. 26.
“The driver was not at fault,” he added.
Online at www.islander.org, additional photos and crash diagram.
Perhaps you’d like to drive over there and see for yourself — on the double S curve at 56th Street with two merging streets. — Bonner
The pedestrians obviously had time to see the car coming as the man hurried his wife. The driver should have had similar time to stop well in advance instead of running them over. And it sounds like the police department should be investigated.
I hope the snowbirds boycott this place! My condolences to the family and the surviving husband.