A 77-year-old woman, driving her Kia Soul on Ocean Boulevard in Gulf Stream, plowed into a pack of cyclists after suffering a seizure at the wheel on January 4. The incident, which occurred at around 7 a.m., left three of the bicyclists with severe injuries, reports CBS12. The road, with its tree flanks and lacking shoulder space, offered the cyclists little opportunity to dodge the out-of-control vehicle.
Florida Highway Patrol has confirmed that the driver, identified as Betty Ann Ruiz, veered into the opposite lane where the group of six bicyclists was traveling, before smashing into a traffic sign. In an unnerving twist, Ruiz was cited with three traffic citations according to WPTV, for failing to maintain a single lane, driving with a suspended, revoked, canceled, or disqualified license, and for not providing proof of insurance.
All cyclists were adorned with helmets and had their lights on during the time of the crash; three suffered 'incapacitating' injuries, two with 'possible' injuries, one with non-incapacitating injuries, and three were unharmed. Delray Beach Fire Rescue conveyed Ruiz to Bethesda Hospital East after she sustained a 'possible' injury from the crash. The event has sparked calls from the biking community for better road safety measures in the area.
In response to the tragedy and subsequent advocacy by the bicyclists, Delray Beach has announced intentions to pour over $100 million into pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements. The city, grappling with the aftermath of a motorist's sudden health emergency that morphed into a harrowing roadway accident, appears to be taking heed of the collective call for safer streets for all who traverse its paths.
