Crime & Safety

2 St. Pete Pedestrians Die In Separate Crashes

A 64-year-old man and an 86-year-old man died this week trying to cross busy streets in St. Petersburg.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- A 64-year-old man and an 86-year-old man died this week trying to cross busy streets in St. Petersburg.

According to St. Petersburg Police, the first accident occurred at about 6:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5.

A 1999 Chevrolet Silveraldo 2500 pickup truck pulling a 16-foot trailer, driven by James Adam Fraser, 82, was northbound on 34th Street North in the median lane.

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George Fletcher Ball was pushing a wheelchair across 34th Street North in the 1700 block and stopped on the median but placed the wheelchair in the northbound traffic lane of 34th Street North. Fraser swerved to avoid the wheelchair, however, his trailer struck it and pushed it into Ball.

Ball was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg where he died. The driver faces no charges at this time but the investigation is still ongoing.

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Then on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 9:16 a.m., an elderly man crossing 30th Avenue North at 31st Street was struck by a pickup truck.

The victim, Francis Robert Hass, 86, was transported to the hospital and later died of his injuries.The driver, Jesse Todd Casazza, 45, stopped and cooperated with the investigation.

Image via St. Pete Police

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