Members of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Major Accident Investigation Team (M.A.I.T.) investigated a crash involving a pedestrian on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at approximately 7:30 PM.
According to investigators, deputies were called to the Applebees Neighborhood Grill and Bar located at 4016 Tampa Road in Oldsmar, for a male subject acting erratically.
Responding deputies were informed that a male subject, later identified as 28-year-old Juan Rivera-Aguilar of Clearwater, entered the restaurant and told management to call the police.
Prior to the arrival of deputies, Rivera-Aguilar left the restaurant and ran into traffic on Tampa Road.  According to witnesses, he proceeded to stop traffic by beating on the hoods of several vehicles for no apparent reason.
Investigators say that Rivera-Aguilar was standing in the eastbound median lane of Tampa Road at the intersection of St. Petersburg Drive East, when a 2006 Toyota Highlander being driven by 33-year-old Sheldon Power, was traveling eastbound in the median lane.
Power did not see Rivera-Aguilar standing in the roadway when he struck Rivera-Aguilar with his vehicle.
Investigators report that several witnesses at the scene said Rivera-Aguilar was deliberately jumping in front of vehicles traveling eastbound on Tampa Road just before he was struck.
Rivera-Aguilar was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Investigators say that Powers showed no signs of impairment and speed was not
a factor in the crash.
The investigation continues.