FARMINGTON – A 77-year-old woman was injured after she was struck by a car as she crossed High Street this morning.
Shirly Lorette, 77, of Farmington, was out for her morning walk and was in the crosswalk on High Street at the Maple Avenue intersection when she was hit by a vehicle driven by Valerie Soucie, 62, of Wilton.
Soucie, said Farmington Police Chief Jack Peck, was northbound on High Street and following another vehicle. When that vehicle turned right onto Maple Avenue from High Street, “Ms. Soucie didn’t see Ms. Lorette in the crosswalk and struck her,” Peck said and added “her foot was run over by Soucie and she fell over backwards and struck her head.”
Emergency crews were called to the scene at 8:04 Monday morning.
NorthStar EMS ambulance personnel examined Lorette at the scene but did not transport her to the hospital. Instead, Lorette wanted to be transported by private car to her physician.
Farmington Officer Ryan Wagner is leading the investigation. Soucie was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Peck wanted to caution motorists to “please pay extra attention to pedestrians crossing the street.” Drivers are required to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.
Shirley, I hope you have a very speedy recovery. I too was hit by a car as a child and I can say it is not fun! Please people, I know it is a hurry , hurry world out there but could we try to remember that there are pedestrians who do need to cross the road from time to time.
Without more serious penalties for hitting a pedestrian, it will never stop.
Arnold – do you really think that hitting a pedestrian by accident is not penalty enough? Yes, accident! Do you think drivers think, “Hey, the penalty for hitting a pedestrian is not that huge, so I will just drive carelessly and, so what, if I hit someone.” Seriously, Arnold?
There are two people suffering today – the pedestrian who is hurt, and probably fearful of future walking, and the driver who surely feels terrible about what happened, and realizes that the incident could have been much worse. I am sorry for both.
I know we have to yeild to pedestrians—and for a good reason… HOWEVER this week driving the streets near UMF I encountered several pedestrians, students, head down looking at ground : and they walk right out into the street in front of on coming traffic, regardless of how close the vehicle was before they decided to step out in front of the car! They need to have a notice for these kids that yes pedestrians have the right of way BUT if you step out into traffic without looking too see where cars are/how close to you– you are creating a dangerous situation for everyone.
Would like to have some flashing lights at other crosswalks around town, besides just at those on the umf campus strip which has four or five within feet of each other. This spot, down by hippach, and up by Edgewood Manor. There are other pedestrians besides college students in this town.
Snarky comments are incredibly inappropriate in this case.
What happened to looking both ways before crossing the road? I’m not criticizing the lady that was hit but almost every time I drive through town, someone just walks out without looking. And while I do not have a problem yielding to pedestrians, doesn’t the law say yield to pedestrians in ” CROSSWALKS” ?? Most just cross and do not use crosswalks.
Thank you Tony N and Steve for your comments. I agree with you!!
Drivers need to pay attention to crosswalks. I have seen too many near misses at that intersection that I walk by at least daily. Of course having the crosswalk marked with signs properly would help . I am surprised that this doesn’t happen more often. PAY ATTENTION TO CROSSWALKS
Could we get some traffic enforcement at that particular intersection. Drivers ignoreit and I think tickets would help remind drivers
I’m a driver at times, I’m a walker at times and on rare occasions I ride a bike.
As a pedestrian, I do not take for granted that cars are going to stop just because I have the right of way. Just because I have the right away is not going to make it any less painful when I get hit by a car. Same when I ride a bike, I know cars are supposed to give riders a three foot clearance but as a prudent cyclist, I don’t ignore the cars because they have to give me that clearance and all that. If a car hits me while riding, they are just gonna have to explain to the police what happened, I may be able to explain it to them on the way to the hospital in the back of an ambulance.
Right or wrong cars win every time.
Pedestrians and cyclists need to take their own safety into their own hands and pay attention.
Accidents happen… people make mistakes.
Let us learn from this.