Driver Of SUV Backs Over Sunbather In Volusia
Sand May Have Saved Woman's Life
POSTED: Wednesday, October 22, 2003
UPDATED: 11:42 pm EDT October 23,
2003
A 53-year-old woman was crushed Wednesday when the driver of a sport utility vehicle backed over her as she slept on a beach chair at a Volusia County, Fla., beach, according to Local 6 News.
Lifeguards said Gelenda Willits was run over and then pinned under the vehicle for more than 20 minutes on a portion of Ormond Beach, near the Granada ramp. "I heard a thump and heard a woman scream," Jerri Decosta said. "When I looked over, I saw the back of the car jump in the air and come back down and I heard the woman scream.Police said the driver of the vehicle was apparently looking for a parking spot when she ran over the woman. The bottom of the SUV came to rest on her torso, Local 6 News reporter Tarik Minor reported.Lifeguards and passerby used their hands to dig the woman from under the vehicle. 
"We shoveled by hand to pull the sand out from underneath her and then moved her out a little bit," witness Bob Decosta said.Beach patrol spokesman Kevin Sweat said the soft sand may have saved the woman's life because it allowed the chair to give a little under the 5,000-pound vehicle.Willits was removed from under the vehicle and transported to Halifax Medical Center. She is in serious condition, Local 6 News reported.The name of the driver has not been released.Local 6 News reported that the woman driving the SUV will be charged.In February, a 27-year-old French woman was killed and her sister badly injured when they were run over by a police vehicle looking for a mugger on Miami's South Beach.The officer will not be charged, but the family of Stephanie Tunc has sued the city for negligence.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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Sunbather Run Over By SUV"We shoveled by hand to pull the sand out from underneath her and then moved her out a little bit," witness Bob Decosta said.Beach patrol spokesman Kevin Sweat said the soft sand may have saved the woman's life because it allowed the chair to give a little under the 5,000-pound vehicle.Willits was removed from under the vehicle and transported to Halifax Medical Center. She is in serious condition, Local 6 News reported.The name of the driver has not been released.Local 6 News reported that the woman driving the SUV will be charged.In February, a 27-year-old French woman was killed and her sister badly injured when they were run over by a police vehicle looking for a mugger on Miami's South Beach.The officer will not be charged, but the family of Stephanie Tunc has sued the city for negligence.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.Copyright 2007 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com.
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