An 83-year-old pedestrian, named Carol Spezzano, tragically lost her life after being hit by a car in a Publix parking lot in Dunedin, as confirmed by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. WFLA News reports that the incident occurred on Sunday, around 3 p.m., when 71-year-old Mary Canfield was navigating the parking lot and decided to reverse her vehicle to make way for another car to exit the lane.
While Canfield was backing up, she unexpectedly struck Spezzano, who, pushing her shopping cart, was thrown to the ground upon impact and suffered a severe head injury against the pavement. In critical condition, emergency services rushed Spezzano to the nearest hospital, FOX 13 News detailed.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office stated that neither speed nor impairment seemed to contribute to this heartbreaking accident. It was just after the accident that Spezzano was hospitalized with grave wounds, Tampa Bay Times noted.
Despite the quick response and efforts to save her, Spezzano's injuries proved fatal and she passed away on Wednesday, following days of medical attention. Deputies continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, but as of now, it appears to have been a tragic, unforeseen collision precipitated by an everyday maneuver gone incredibly wrong.
