Yesterday morning in Pinellas Park turned deadly when a 66-year-old man was hit by an SUV while crossing 70th Avenue North and later died at the hospital, according to police. The crash happened shortly after 7:30 a.m. in the 3800 block, where officers and first responders found the pedestrian in a marked crosswalk. Investigators say the crosswalk's walk signal had not been activated at the time. The driver stayed at the scene and was issued a citation.
What police say
Pinellas Park Police identified the driver as 55-year-old Maria Nguyen and the victim as 66-year-old Byron Tavenner. Officers said Nguyen was traveling west on 70th Avenue in a Lexus SUV when she failed to see Tavenner in the roadway. Investigators reported that speed and impairment were not factors in the crash and told reporters they do not expect criminal charges, according to Tampa Bay 28.
Pinellas County pedestrian safety
Pedestrian crashes have been a long-running concern in Pinellas County, where local advocates say people on foot make up a disproportionate share of traffic fatalities. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles crash dashboard tracks county-level data on fatal and serious-injury crashes, and groups such as Connect Pinellas have pushed for targeted crossings, better lighting and traffic-calming changes to reduce collisions. For detailed maps and the latest county figures, the state maintains the FLHSMV crash dashboard.
Signals, sightlines and what to watch for
Investigators stressed that the crosswalk's "walk" signal was not active when the crash happened, a detail that shapes both drivers' expectations and pedestrians' right-of-way. Federal guidance urges pedestrians to wait for walk signals before entering the road, and it reminds drivers that they are still required to yield and watch carefully for people using marked crosswalks, according to the NHTSA. Pinellas Park Police said the investigation remains open and urged anyone with information to contact the department, per Tampa Bay 28.
Next steps
The city has not announced any roadway changes in response to the crash, and police say the case is still under investigation. Community groups that monitor traffic safety in the area note that crashes like this often reignite calls for engineering fixes and stepped-up enforcement to make busy corridors safer for people walking.
