Woman, 57, on Tricycle Dies After Being Struck by Truck

A woman in Georgia died after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing an intersection on a tricycle, authorities said.

Bulloch County Coroner Chuck Francis identified the victim as Mary Lastinger, 57. She died just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, in Statesboro, according to the coroner.

A spokesperson for the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) said a trooper responded to a “vehicle vs. pedestrian crash on GA73 within the city limits of Statesboro” at 8:42 a.m. After arriving, the trooper was informed “that the pedestrian was not breathing, and CPR was being performed by the LUCAS device.”

GSP said investigators determined that Lastinger was riding a tricycle and entered a marked crosswalk while traveling north from the south shoulder of East Parrish Street. Officials said the crosswalk signal displayed a stop/don’t walk hand and that Lastinger proceeded into the roadway despite the signal.

A truck traveling east on East Parrish Street had a green traffic light when it struck Lastinger with its front bumper, officials said.

Authorities and witnesses also suggested visibility may have been a factor. Bulloch County Deputy Coroner Richard Pylant told the Statesboro Herald that the tricycle’s low height, combined with strong morning sunlight in that direction, could have made it harder for the driver to see her.

Lastinger did not have identification with her at the scene, officials said, but her identity was later confirmed using a fingerprint scanner.

Mark Carpenter, who owns a tire shop near the intersection, told WTOC-11 he did not see the crash as it happened, but said surveillance video from his business captured the incident. He told the station he heard a noise, stepped outside, and saw people running toward the intersection. He said the footage showed Lastinger waiting at the crosswalk before moving forward, after which a white truck collided with her.

Carpenter told WTOC-11 he believes the intersection is unsafe. As the holidays approach, he added, he has been thinking about Lastinger’s loved ones and the difficult weeks ahead for her family.