84-year-old drives over beachgoer’s head and doesn’t realize it, Florida cops say

A day at the beach turned horrific for a tourist in Florida when a pickup reversed into her, then drove forward over her head, according to investigators.

It happened around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, in Daytona Beach and the motorist initially drove off, not realizing what had happened, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The victim remains hospitalized in stable condition.

“A 71-year-old New York woman was sitting in a beach chair behind a vehicle when a Chevrolet Colorado parked next to her pulled out of its parking spot,” the sheriff’s office said.

“The driver made an immediate right turn toward the beach exit, did not see the woman in her chair, and struck her with the truck’s right rear tire, which then ran over her head.”

Witnesses report the 84-year-old driver “was not aware she struck anyone until she was chased down by a witness,” the sheriff’s office said.

Once alerted, the driver remained at the scene “and cooperated fully with the investigation,” officials said.

The injured woman was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center with head injuries that are not life threatening, the sheriff’s office said. Her identity has not been released.

The driver, who showed “no signs of impairment,” lives in De Leon Springs, about a 25-mile drive southwest from Daytona Beach, officials said.

The incident remains under investigation.

Daytona Beach is about a 55-mile drive northeast from Orlando.

This story was originally published February 6, 2025 at 11:41 AM with the headline "84-year-old drives over beachgoer’s head and doesn’t realize it, Florida cops say."