Woman dies after walking into traffic

Just released from jail, the New Port Richey resident may have stepped into car's path on purpose, witnesses say.

By CARY DAVIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 8, 2000

GOWERS CORNER -- A New Port Richey woman died Friday when she walked into the path of a car on U.S. 41 just hours after she was released from jail, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Lorraine Constance Whitford, 61, 5239 Leisure Lane, was pronounced dead on the scene, her jail release papers still in her pocket.

Whitford was walking north along the east shoulder of U.S. 41, about 3 miles north of State Road 52, when she was struck at 3:49 p.m., the highway patrol said. Witnesses said Whitford didn't bother to look before walking directly into the path of a northbound two-door blue Oldsmobile Cutlass.

The driver of the Oldsmobile, Debra McManus, 45, of Spring Hill, tried to swerve but could not avoid striking Whitford, the highway patrol said. McManus was not cited in connection with the accident.

McManus declined to answer reporters' questions.

"This has really shaken her up," said McManus' boyfriend, Edward Kirkpatrick. "She's a very kind person. She wouldn't run over a snake, even if it was dead."

Highway patrol officers said they had no explanation for why Whitford walked into fast-moving traffic on the busy road.

But witnesses had little doubt about Whitford's intentions.

"She wanted to die," said Dave Mussatto, 45, of Spring Hill, a passenger in the car that was following McManus. "All of a sudden, without even looking, she made a quick turn right into the middle of the road."

Truck driver Roger Mason said he nearly hit Whitford about 30 minutes before she was killed.

"The lady stepped right out in front of my truck and I almost got her," said Mason, 48.

Whitford was released from the Pasco County Jail in Land O'Lakes at 1:25 p.m. Friday after serving 20 days for petty theft and failing to appear in court for two charges of writing worthless checks, sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll said.

The jail, on Central Boulevard off U.S. 41, is about 4 miles south of the accident site.

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