Pedestrians urged to take caution after Hillsborough Ave. crashes

TAMPA (FOX 13) - On Hillsborough Avenue, even crossing the street is a stop-and-go situation.

"I almost got hit," said Judy Parker, who was crossing the street on Wednesday night.

But on Tuesday morning, a 56-year-old woman, Addy Prince was hit and killed on Hillsborough Ave. between Anderson and Hoover.

The driver took off.

"I don't drive on the bike lane, I don't even walk on the sidewalk, I go around when I am right here," said Parker.

If you count the mile-and-a-quarter stretch on Hillsborough that includes the intersections of Hoover, Anderson, Hesperides, and Lois, five people have died in the last two years.

The department says it is the worst area in the city for pedestrians.

"I don't know what it is about the area," said Tampa Police spokesman Steve Hegarty. "People apparently run across the road. They get caught in the wrong place. It's kind of dark, especially at 2 o' clock in the morning."

Three of the deaths have been in just the last year.

Many of the crashes happen when people cross the street outside of designated crosswalks. Drivers describe situations where they're unable to avoid impact.

"For pedestrians, don't assume that a car can see you," said Hegarty.

There are other common factors in these crashes. Most of the victims seem to be homeless, and most of the drivers were not ticketed.

In Addy Prince's case, police are looking for a hit-and-run driver.

"I don't even see why anybody would do that," said Parker. "I would never cross that street. I don't even like crossing this."

Tampa police say they have already taken steps to make the street safer and will continue to take more.

But they say signs and other traffic control devices don't have a big impact when pedestrians don't cross in the crosswalk.