Life-Threatening Accident on Treasure Island

By Mike Sunnucks

A pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck by a car while trying to cross Gulf Boulevard in Treasure Island Saturday (Nov. 27) evening.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office reports a 2007 Dodge Caliber driven by Jamie McPherson, 45, struck Jude Rutkowski, 48, as Rutkowski crossed the road at 1st Street East. PCSO said Rutkowski was “in the middle of the intersection, not in the designated crosswalk” and was struck by the front driver’s side of McPherson’s vehicle.

“Rutkowski was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries,” according to a PCSO announcement.

The incident occurred at 6:42 p.m. and remains under investigation. Police said Rutkowski may have been “impaired at the time of the crash.”

There have been several recent serious and fatal accidents in Pinellas County involving pedestrians struck by cars.