An elderly man struck a pedestrian in Winter Park on Friday night. John Sepelak, Jr., 78, hit Paula Carrison, 48, who lives in Winter Park. Carrison was taken to a hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Sepelak was driving on Howell Branch Road when Carrison began crossing that street near Banyon Tree Road. Carrison apparently stumbled and fell as she made her way across and Sepelak drove over her when she was on the ground.
Sepelak stopped and assessed the situation, but according the law enforcement report, he "became scared and drove off." A local good Samaritan saw him, however, and tailed him for more than five miles to Lake Howell Road. The witness who followed him there blocked in Sepelak's vehicle.until police could get there. According to law enforcement officials, they do not believe that Sepelak was intoxicated at the time of the accident, but criminal charges against him are expected.
It is not clear whether Sepelak's age played any role in the accident or if he was simply unable to see Carrison because she had already fallen to the ground at the time of the accident. Still, many road safety advocates have proposed differing rules in order for elderly motorists to retain their drivers licenses. Drivers over the age of 65 account for far more than their fair share of motor vehicle accidents, just as drivers under the age of 18 do.
Just four states have laws stating that age may never be a factor in determining the method of drivers license renewal. Only two states require a road test for the elderly; both Illinois and New Hampshire require the same type of road test at age 75 that most drivers took when they were 16. Ten states do not require that younger drivers take a vision test in order to renew their drivers licenses, but require that older drivers must - although the age varies significantly - anywhere from 40 years old to 80. Florida's vision retesting does not begin until age 80. Most commonly, older drivers must renew their licenses more frequently than other drivers.
