A 37-year-old man was killed attempting to cross Okeechobee Boulevard on the evening of August 19. This fatal incident may rekindle the discussion about pedestrian safety in the area.
Cory Siaba tried to cross the street in the middle of the block but was hit by a 2023 Toyota Tacoma driven by a 57-year-old man. The vehicle was heading west on Okeechobee Boulevard when it struck Siaba, sending his body to the outside lane.
Siaba was pronounced dead at the location of the accident. It happened in the 5730 block, east of Florida’s Turnpike and near Century Village.
The area in which Siaba tried to cross was not a marked crosswalk. As a result, it is possible that the Tacoma was not expecting to see foot traffic at that part of the road, and was not able to adjust fast enough to avoid the pedestrian.
As a matter of consistent practice, it is always best to cross streets at marked crosswalks, which are designated areas for pedestrians to advance safely. It will be interesting to see whether this area or other unmarked locations become crosswalks in the future.
Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath are sorry to hear about this unfortunate piece of news. We can be reached at (561) 655-1990 in case you or someone you know is hurt in a car accident.
