CLEARWATER, Fla. — A father and son were stuck by a vehicle while crossing a busy Clearwater street early Wednesday morning.
- Ernest LeBlanc, 80, died of his injuries
- Barry LeBlanc, 48, in critical condition
- Driver involved remained at the scene, cooperating with investigators
- More Pinellas County stories
The father, 80-year-old Ernest LeBlanc, died from his injuries. His 48-year-old son, Barry, is fighting for his life at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.
The crash occurred on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard near Fernwood Avenue in Clearwater. The LeBlancs live in a nearby mobile home park.
The two were crossing Gulf-to-Bay form north to south west of Fernwood Avenue when they were struck by a vehicle heading east, according to investigators. The two men were not in a crosswalk at the time of the crash.
Barry’s estranged wife, Sandra, lives in the mobile home park across the street from where that crash happened. She says she heard the crash and saw the horrific aftermath.
“Total shock. I was crying. It just tore me apart,” she said. “I got up, had my morning coffee and I heard a crash. I ran out to the sidewalk and saw my dad laying in the street and my husband laying in the other lane.”
Sandra said she went to the hospital with her father-in-law, where she learned the 80-year-old died from his injuries.
“He was a wonderful man, always on the go,” Sandra said. “His son could ask him to go to the store for whatever and he would grab his cart and he’d go to the store for his son. He loved his son.”
And while she waits for updates on her husband’s condition, she’s questioning the safety on the street for pedestrians.
“This should’ve never happened had they had crosswalks,” she said. “But as you see the crosswalk is right across the street. They expect us to cross the street but they won’t put crosswalks on Gulf-to-Bay.”
Police said the driver who hit the father and son remained on scene and cooperated with investigators.