Antonio Brasca, visiting from Ormond Beach, had just been to the Waffle Cone, the ice cream shop on South 4th Street in Flagler Beach, and was walking back with his wife and friends to his car, parked along the boardwalk some 50 yards south of the pier, when he was struck by a car.
Brasca, who’s turning 76 next week, was on the northbound shoulder of State Road A1A when a motorcycle going north had stopped to let pedestrians cross. A Cadillac CTS driven by David Carlson, 73, of Palm Coast, traveling north, went around the motorcycle, to the motorcycle’s right, to keep driving–and struck the man instead, Florida Highway Patrol trooper Conrad said.
Brasca struck the passenger-side windshield and was thrown violently between the shoulder of the road and the row of parked car. His own car bore the marks of the accident in blood spatters, also visible on the ground. (Brasca was described, in an earlier version, as being thrown into a puddle. That was inaccurate: the ground was dry at the time he was struck. The puddle was the result of rescuers washing down the vehicle of the spatters.)
Brasca was transported to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach in critical condition (the ambulance sirens did not sound when the ambulance pulled out). “At this time, nothing appears criminal,” Conrad said. However, charges are pending.
Troopers were called to the scene at 2:50 p.m. By the time the highway patrol released an official report of the crash Thursday evening, Brasca’s condition had been downgraded to serious.
Kendall says
Isn’t passing on the right or shoulder illegal? Don’t pedestrians have the right of way when crossing? Why aren’t charges pressed when people are clearly not following the law and someone gets hurt?
I was hit by a car in a parking lot earlier this year. It was on video- the person driving went the wrong way in a parking lane, blew through a stop sign, hit me and threw me backward about 15 feet, and never stopped. When she was found she claimed she had no idea she hit me.
Well I was pushing a shopping cart at the time. Is there anyone out there that doesn’t know how much racket it makes when you just bump a shopping cart, let alone smash into one when you’re speeding in a parking lot.
No charges were filed against the woman that hit me either. Despite the woman’s crime being on video tape. I assume the deputy was friends with her.
John Smith says
Pedestrians only have the right of way in a marked crosswalk not 2 blks away from one, If you read the story right he was not crossing the road he was walking along side. If the Motorcycle was stopped in the middle of the road and the car passed him on the right and the guy was hit on the passenger side like it shows then he was well away from A1A by 5 or 6 feet or more and DID NOT deserve to be hit. This accident should never have happened.
palmcoaster says
Depending who we are at times law enforcement take sides I think. Happened to me in 1993 when I am turning right into PC Pkwy from Old Kings Rd with green light and the right of way and a driver coming on the opposite direction cuts me off speeding…the other was let go and I got the ticket from that read head woman deputy. Was my first bitter impression of the local sheriff. The way some drivers here cut too short in front other cars, motorcyclist and pedestrians causing damage and injury in Florida and get away with it, is unbelievable. Regarding J. Smith about the pedestrians right of way in that section of A1A in FB, pedestrians should always have the right of way just out of respect for human life…given so many crossing the street to go to the beach.
Adrien says
John Smith, you didn’t read this correctly. It states that the victim was crossing… “motorcyoing north stopped to let the pedestrians cross”. It was his car parked “along” the boardwalk. The car that hit him was impatient and passed the motorcycle on the right shoulder. You’re right he didn’t deserve to be hit, but was merely a VICTIM.
Diane says
Any news on the condition of the man who was hit?
I was nearby when it happened. Seems like the driver was just being impatient. The pedistrian was not in the street when he was hit; he was standing on the sandy shoulder.
palmcoaster says
That driver was being impatient and criminal as well. No longer human life is worth of respect among us?