Victim Identified in Gulf-to-Bay Fatal Crash

CLEARWATER, FL — Clearwater Police are investigating a fatal crash involving a person pushing a wheelchair and a van that occurred early Thursday morning on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard.

According to the agency, the crash happened around 5:48 a.m. Sept. 29. A person, the agency wrote in an email to media, was pushing an empty wheelchair from south to north across Gulf-to-Bay. The pedestrian was struck by a van that was in the middle lane heading westbound, just east of Belcher Road, police said.

Late Thursday afternoon, police identified the pedestrian who died in the crash as Jonathan Ring Hibbard, 66, of Clearwater. The driver of the 1997 Dodge Caravan involved in the crash has been identified as Lester Garcia-Lopez, 29, of Tampa.

“The accident happened fewer than 100 yards from the intersection, where there is a marked crosswalk and traffic signals to facilitate safer crossings,” the email noted.

The crash closed the westbound lanes of Gulf-to-Bay between Old Coachman Road and Belcher Road for several hours Thursday morning.

Further details, including the names of those involved, are not yet available.

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