The intersection of Gulf and Marina drives in Holmes Beach is the site of sorrow and remembrance.
And on Feb. 27, Deborah Trotter, the Holmes Beach woman who was injured and whose mother was struck by a vehicle and killed while they were in the crosswalk at the intersection, chose the site to announce a wrongful death suit intended to hold a driver and a construction company accountable.
Pink flowers and a white cross bearing the word “Mom” mark the location as a memorial to Deborah Trotter’s mother, 86-year-old Miriam Trotter.
Both were struck May 12, 2023, by Michael Ritchie, 43, of Bradenton, who was at the wheel of a truck, making a left turn on a green light from southbound Marina Drive onto Gulf Drive.
Miriam Trotter never regained consciousness, having suffered irreversible brain damage, and died May 17, 2023.
Deborah Trotter was treated and discharged from the hospital the day of the crash, suffering partial hearing loss, tinnitus and a permanent soft spot on her skull from the impact.
During the Feb. 27 news conference, she spoke about her mother’s life and the impact of her mother’s death on family and friends.
“She was the light of our family. She was the matriarch. She was everybody’s best friend. She loved life,” Deborah said, holding back tears. “You would be hard-pressed to find her ever not smiling. She was just so happy to be here. And the fact that she will never be here in person with me to enjoy it. I still have trouble understanding that.”
The crash occurred during a long-ongoing city construction project at the intersection and throughout the city center that included new traffic signals, sidewalks, new roadways, bike paths and lane markings.
Now Deborah Trotter is taking legal action against C-Squared, the company that administered the construction project for the city of Holmes Beach, as well as Ritchie.
The suit, alleging negligence, is filed in the 12th Judicial Circuit and seeks damages exceeding $50,000.
Trotter’s attorney, Douglas McCarron, said C-Squared inadequately secured the construction area.
The complaint reads, “The negligent design, construction and approval of the maintenance of traffic plan and traffic signals for the area … particularly as to pedestrians forced to negotiate their way through the construction zone, created a highly dangerous but easily preventable trap for both pedestrians and the motoring public. But for the dangerous and preventable condition, the fatal collision … would never have happened.”
Ritchie was cited by the Holmes Beach Police Department for failure to yield the right of way to pedestrians.
He contested the citation and, on Aug. 9, 2023, 12th Circuit Judge Robert Farrance found him guilty of failure to yield the right of way to pedestrians.
Ritchie was ordered to pay $166 for the citation and $21 in subpoena costs, as well as complete a four-hour basic driver improvement course.
In the complaint, the negligence claim against Ritchie says he failed to yield the right of way, failed to maintain a proper lane of traffic, drove carelessly and recklessly, failed to brake or reduce speed prior to impact and committed “other negligence or reckless acts.”
McCarron said in addition to pain and suffering, the lawsuit is about ensuring public safety.
“She just doesn’t want this to happen to anybody else,” McCarron said, referring to Deborah Trotter.
The traffic signals at the intersection were not coordinated with the crosswalk signals, allowing Ritchie to have a green light while also allowing pedestrians a “cross now” signal, McCarron said.
“Contractors are responsible for making sure the signalization of the lights are proper to keep people safe, it’s that simple, and that’s not what happened here,” he said.