Motorists Run Over 2 Men Lying in Road

Why two men decided to lay on State Road 54 west of Virginia City Drive at night, wearing dark clothing, the Florida Highway Patrol is at a loss to explain.

What Troopers do know, however, is that one of those men is dead and the other is seriously injured following the Friday night incident.

According to an email from Sgt. Steve Gaskins, Stacey Arthur Butcher, 42, of New Port Richey is dead and Christopher Momier, 24, of Gibsonton is seriously injured after the pair were run over by two cars around 10 p.m. Friday.

Gaskins said Myra Freedman, 66, of New Port Richey and Roseanne Esposito, 21, of Holiday were both driving east on State Road 54 when they ran over the men.

“Both drivers were unable to observe two males laying in the unlighted roadway wearing dark clothes,” the email said. The women both stopped.

Momier was taken to Bayonet Point Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries.

The crash remains under investigation, Gaskins said, “to include the reasons surrounding why both males were laying in the roadway.”