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Pickup veers off road, kills man on sidewalk

By SAUNDRA AMRHEIN
Published August 3, 2005

TAMPA - A 41-year-old man was killed when a pickup truck slammed into him as he walked on a sidewalk in Palma Ceia Tuesday.

About 2:35 p.m., a 2002 Ford pickup driven by 19-year-old James German of Lutz was going north on Dale Mabry Highway, approaching Bay to Bay Boulevard, according to Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin.

German was speeding, witnesses told police, and as the traffic light turned from red to green, he moved into the outside northbound lane, nearly hitting an automobile that had not yet begun to move, Durkin said.

German swerved up onto the sidewalk and struck the pedestrian, who was walking south, Durkin said.

The man landed 50 feet away in a parking lot and died immediately, Durkin said. The truck sideswiped a utility pole and hit a tree before stopping.

The dead man's name was not released, pending notification of his family.

German was taken to Tampa General Hospital with possible broken bones, Durkin said. He was in fair condition Tuesday night, hospital officials said.

A front-seat passenger, James Wright, 20, of Tampa, was also taken to TGH, treated and released. A back-seat passenger, James McCarthy of Plant City, was not injured, Durkin said. He did not know McCarthy's age.

All three men were wearing seat belts, he said.

Charges were pending.

German's driving record includes two citations in 2004, one for following too closely and the other for improper use of equipment, according to county traffic records. State records show he was charged last year with a misdemeanor count of permitting an unauthorized person to drive.

[Last modified August 3, 2005, 00:35:13]