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Pinellas school crossing guard struck, injured

The 63-year-old crossing guard was hospitalized, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
 
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Check tampabay.com for the latest breaking news and updates. [ Tampa Bay Times ]
Published Oct. 19, 2019|Updated Oct. 19, 2019

CLEARWATER ― A 63-year-old school crossing guard was knocked to the ground on Friday while putting safety cones out in the street, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident took place at about 2:32 p.m. at Curlew Road and Countryside Boulevard.

The crossing guard, Susan Creamer, was standing in the crosswalk of Curlew Road and placing cones as she prepared for students to start being let out of nearby Curlew Creek Elementary School.

Robert Reese, 61, was driving his 2016 Ford Fusion north on Countryside Boulevard N, heading toward the traffic signal at Curlew Road. He stopped for the red light, deputies said, then turned right onto Curlew Road.

But as Reese turned right, deputies said the passenger-side mirror struck Creamer, who fell to the ground.

She was alert after falling, deputies said and taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa for medical treatment.

Creamer was wearing her sheriff’s-issued crossing guard uniform and safety vest at the time, deputies said. Speed and impairment do not appear to have played a role in the crash, which remains under investigation.