LCSO: Cape teen killed trying to cross road
A Cape Coral teen was hit by a car and killed Wednesday night as she was apparently attempting to cross Pondella Road with two friends.
Taylor A. Palmer, 15, of 1421 N.E. 10th Terrace, was trauma alerted to Cape Coral Hospital in critical condition, where she was pronounced dead at 9:45 p.m. after life-saving efforts were unsuccessful, officials reported.
At 7:58 p.m., the Lee County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a vehicle versus pedestrian crash near 1165 Pondella Road. A Ford Taurus was headed east on Pondella when three youths reportedly tried to cross the road.
According to officials, the children were crossing from the north side of Pondella to the south. The Taurus, driven by Lauren Catherine Franklin, 31, was traveling in the right lane when the three girls “suddenly appeared.”
Two of the children made it across the unlighted portion of the roadway, but not Palmer. Despite braking and swerving, Franklin was unable to avoid the teen. The front of the Ford hit Palmer, who then struck the hood and windshield.
Franklin of 1310 N.E. Second Place was not injured in the accident.
“The traffic homicide investigation continues,” Lt. Larry King, spokesman for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, reported Thursday.
Franklin is not suspected to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident, according to the traffic crash report.
The names and ages of the other girls were immediately unavailable.