Car strikes two landscape workers, one dies

Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 | 11:07 a.m.

A speeding driver struck and killed a man doing landscaping work along North Buffalo Drive about 8:15 a.m. today, Metro Police said.

A woman was heading south in the 2500 block of Buffalo, just north of Smoke Ranch Road, in a gray PT Cruiser at a high rate of speed, Officer Jose Montoya, department spokesman, said.

Witnesses told police she swerved to pass another car and veered back into the lane then lost control of her car. She over-corrected then fishtailed onto the sidewalk.

The car hit two of six men who were doing landscaping work near the sidewalk, Montoya said. One was knocked down and another went onto the windshield. That man hit the ground and was dragged about 100 feet by the car.

The woman drove another 200 feet before stopping, Montoya said. The victim, described as being in his late 20s or early 30s, was taken to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. Police said the driver could be charged with felony reckless driving and related offenses. She was not injured.

Montoya said she told officers she was in a hurry to get to work.