Tourist hit, killed crossing road

A man is killed and his wife critically injured in St. Pete Beach. No charges were filed as of Sunday.

By TAMARA EL-KHOURY
Published November 7, 2005

---

ST. PETE BEACH - An Ecuadorian couple visiting Florida were hit Sunday morning as they crossed Gulf Boulevard.

The husband was pronounced dead at a local hospital, police said. His wife was critically injured and was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.

Police would not release the names of the couple or the driver Sunday. The driver, a man from Iowa, was not injured, police said.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident, which happened at 9 a.m. on the 6300 block of Gulf Boulevard. The couple were crossing from west to east when they were struck by the southbound Chevrolet, authorities said. Police said no charges had been filed as of Sunday.

Pedestrian safety on the road has been a concern for beach cities. In August, the state Department of Transportation said it would increase the number of crosswalks on Gulf Boulevard from 33 to 45 in Treasure Island, Madeira Beach and North Redington Beach.

This month, 40-mph speed limits dropped to 35 mph on Gulf Boulevard as part of a DOT proposal to test lower speeds on parts of the road.

This summer, a Clearwater man was hit and killed while trying to cross Gulf Boulevard in North Redington Beach.

Last year, a teenage bicyclist from Redington Beach was hit on a Gulf Boulevard crosswalk.