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Trying to aid dog, man is struck, killed

The 67-year-old was kneeling in the center of U.S. 301 with the injured dog when he was hit on Wednesday night.

By JAMAL THALJI
Published December 16, 2005

DADE CITY - Charles Jacobsen stopped on the side of the road Wednesday night, authorities say, to aid a dog he struck after it darted in front of his vehicle on U.S. 301.

The animal landed in the center of northbound 301, and that's where Jacobsen was, kneeling over the dog's body, his back to northbound traffic, when authorities say he himself was struck by a vehicle.

Jacobsen, 67, died at the scene, just north of U.S. 98, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

"He jumped out of to see if he could help the animal," said FHP Trooper Larry Coggins Jr. "He became a pedestrian at that point and was struck by the other vehicle because he violated the other vehicle's right of way by stepping out onto the roadway."

In fact several vehicles headed north on 301 had to swerve to avoid Jacobsen kneeling in the roadway, according to an FHP report, as he tended to the dog.

One of those vehicles was in front of Brian Born, 35, when it also swerved to avoid Jacobsen, the FHP said, and that's why Born failed to see the Dade City man kneeling on the road.

Born's 1995 Ford struck Jacobsen and the dog from behind, according to the report, sending the Jacobsen rolling over the right front windshield and then back onto the roadway.

The dog was then struck by a third vehicle, the FHP said, and died on the road.

It happened at 10:18 p.m., the FHP said, after Jacobsen, of 3233 Polaris Road, headed north on U.S. 98, struck the animal while making a right turn onto 301.

"It becomes an emotional deal where people want to run and assist or check on an animal or check on the other party in a crash," Coggins said. "But first and foremost people need to check on traffic and recognize that they are in a busy roadway and that vehicles do have the right of way."

Coggins said the accident is under investigation, but it appears Born was not at fault.

[Last modified December 16, 2005, 00:54:19]