ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — A pedestrian was killed on Friday when he was struck by a vehicle driven by an 82-year-old Florida motorist in a church parking lot, authorities said.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the Englewood resident was backing a Ford Mustang out of a parking space at about 8:54 a.m. EST when he crashed into the Abundant Life Worship Center, WINK-TV reported.
Troopers said the man mistakenly put his car into drive instead of reverse and accelerated, going over a curb and hitting a 58-year-old man from Margate, according to WFLA-TV.
The vehicle pinned the pedestrian into the building, WINK reported. He was taken to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries. Neither the driver nor his passenger, an 81-year-old woman from Margate, were injured, according to WFLA.
Billy Gordon told WINK that he knew the victim and shared a love for music with him.
“He was a vet. He loved music. He was a drummer. He loved to play in bands. He loved to sing. He was definitely a performer,’ Gordon told the television station. “It absolutely kills me. Yeah, he was just such a good guy. And I just want people to know that, you know, he was, I mean, he was a really good guy.”
Crash investigators with the FHP have not released any other information about the incident, WINK reported.