Local Entrepreneur Killed During Pinellas County Pedestrian Accident

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on October 19, 2022

Authorities in Pinellas County are currently investigating the death of a 56-year-old mother of two after she was killed during a pedestrian accident over the weekend on Gulf Way in St. Pete Beach.

Preliminary reports from the responding officers with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office indicate that it was close to 7 p.m. on Sunday, October16, 2022, when 56-year-old St. Petersburg resident Lynn Gilliland and her companion 68-year-old Maria Rodriguez were walking along Gulf Way. As the pair reached an area by 8th Avenue, they decided to cross the street from west to east but outside of the designated crosswalk safety zone.

At this same time, 21-year-old Pinellas Park resident Jolee-Ana Rose Eaton was approaching the two women and the upcoming intersection with Gulf Way in a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder from the westbound direction of 8th Avenue. The young driver attempted to make a left turn onto Gulf Way and she collided with both pedestrians.

Local Pinellas County emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene of the crash and quickly secured the pedestrian accident victims for transport to a nearby hospital. Maria Rodriguez was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, however, Lynn Gilliland was not as fortunate. She sadly was unable to survive the severity of her injuries and she passed away shortly after arriving at the medical facility.

Although the investigation into this case is still ongoing, detectives with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office do not believe that drugs or alcohol played a factor in this deadly collision.

“She was just love and joy and happiness. I mean, when she showed up, you were going to laugh, you were going to connect,” said Adrienna Venable, who co-founded St. Pete Girl Bosses with Gilliland – a local networking society for female entrepreneurs. The group intends on creating a $1000 grant in memoriam of their beloved friend to be awarded annually to an up-and-coming businesswoman.

Since 1977, Florida wrongful death lawyer James O. Cunningham has been compassionately representing the families who have lost a loved one in hit-and-run accidents, pedestrian/crosswalk accidents, drunk driver crashes, wrong-way collisions, and texting while driving accidents. If you would like to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation, please submit a few details surrounding your situation through a contact form on our website, or call an associate directly at 877-FL-INJURY to make an appointment.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.