PSTA Driver Cited in Pedestrian Crash

A 72-year-old Palm Harbor woman remains in critical condition at Bayfront Medical Center following a Thursday afternoon pedestrian accident involving a PSTA bus.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the accident happened around 4 p.m. as the woman, Marcia Oder, was walking in the east crosswalk at Publix, 36301 East Lake Road. As she was crossing, the bus, driven by Nikolay Plentnev, 58, of St. Petersburg was heading north in the parking lot.

Plentnev, troopers say, didn’t see Oder and struck her. She was dragged for a time and then trapped under the bus, a highway patrol report stated.

Oder was airlifted to Bayfront in critical condition. As of Friday afternoon, her condition had not changed, troopers noted in the report.

Plentnev was cited for failure to use due care with serious injury.

Patch file photo

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