Veteran Hit By Car Forces Discussion About Lack Of Safe Crosswalk
TAMARAC (CBSMiami) – One day after a Tamarac veteran was killed trying to get to a clinic, activists are demanding change.
Seventy-year-old Army veteran Willie Span was hit early Thursday morning as he was crossing West Commercial Boulevard to get to the Bill Kling Clinic.
In the darkness, 36-year-old Edith Nance said she could not see Span because he was dressed in dark-colored clothing.
The Broward Sheriff's Office is investigating the accident, but it is unlikely Nance will face any charges.
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Span's death has sparked an outcry of criticism for the lack of crosswalks.
"I told them someone was going to get killed and look what happened," disabled veteran Andy Rubenstein told CBS4 News.
Rubenstein says just a month ago he had begged the Department of Veterans Affairs at a meeting to do something to make the crossing safer.
Like many veterans, Rubenstein has taken the bus to the clinic. Anyone getting off the bus on the north side of the road would have to walk a quarter mile to the nearest light to cross safely.
"Veterans are not going to walk down there in the hot sun and rain," veteran Daryl Diggs told CBS4's Joan Murray. He takes the bus to the clinic and is forced to jaywalk.
"It's a game of frogger for us," added Andy Rubenstein. "But where else can we stop."
Broward County Commissioner Marty Kiar also tried to get a crosswalk but was turned down because of the Federal guidelines that say you have to have enough people crossing to justify the change.
He vowed to prevent it from happening again.
On Monday, Kiar said he will meet with U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and on Tuesday he will talk about the issue at the County Commission meeting.
"It's the worst thing that has happened to me as a commissioner," said Kiar.
"Even if it doesn't qualify for a crosswalk maybe there is something else we can do, whether we have a bus to transport the veterans over to the clinic or something else. We have to make sure it doesn't happen again."
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