Documents
Photo by DANIA MAXWELL // Buy this photo
Dania Maxwell/Staff John Wallace speaks about his wife, Robin, who was killed Saturday while riding her bike in the middle of the day in Naples. He is comforted by his daughter, Virginia Rose, right. "i never gave her a goodbye kiss," John said. The identity of the driver who hit Robin is still unknown. She was 48.
Signs warn motorists driving onto Brookside Drive and Estey Avenue that trucks over 1 ton are not permitted. A lawsuit filed on behalf of Robin Wallace's family alleges an Oakes Farms employee drove an 18-wheeler down Estey Avenue, knocking Wallace off her bicycle and killing her.
Troopers have identified a man they believe was driving a tractor-trailer that hit and killed an East Naples bicyclist last September.
A Florida Highway Patrol crash report obtained Friday names Jon Price, 59, of North Naples, as the driver of a tractor-trailer that hit Robin Wallace, 48, on the morning of Sept. 29. Wallace died at the scene of the crash, which happened on Estey Avenue near the intersection of Embassy Lane.
The crash has been investigated as a hit-and-run, since no one stopped to help Wallace or wait for authorities after she was struck.
Price will be issued a citation for failure to obey a traffic control device — a sign that says no trucks weighing more than 1 ton are allowed on Estey Avenue. There was not enough evidence to determine exactly how the crash happened, who was at fault or if Price knew he had hit Wallace, according to the crash report.
"There's insufficient evidence — through hours and hours and hours of trying to go back and look into this investigation — insufficient evidence to prove the driver had known," said Lt. Greg Bueno, an area spokesman for FHP.
Price's truck was linked to the crash through tire tread patterns, business surveillance video, truck route papers, the trucking company and the driver himself, Bueno said.
In addition to its crash investigation, the FHP is conducting a parallel traffic homicide investigation. The FHP has yet to release the results of that investigation, which could contain criminal charges. Bueno said the agency has consulted with the State Attorney's Office regarding potential charges.
Attempts to reach Price at his home Friday were not successful.
Wallace's family filed an auto negligence suit in January naming Oakes Farms, 2205 Davis Blvd., as a responsible party in Wallace's death. The vehicle driven by Price is owned by Oakes Farms, according to state vehicle registration records provided by the family's attorney, Miami-based David Bianchi.
"It verifies that we have sued the right company," Bianchi said. "These big trucks are not supposed to be driving down this road. … It takes a horrific tragedy like this to wake up the owners of these trucks."
Alfie Oakes, the owner of Oakes Farms, acknowledged that Price is a driver for the business and that his truck was in the neighborhood during the time of the crash. But he denied that it was an Oakes Farms truck that hit Wallace.
"There's no factual information that substantiates that," he said.
Oakes said he was told by county and law enforcement officials that it was OK for his trucks to use Brookside and Estey on their routes. Oakes called the crash report "reckless" and said he was awaiting the formal traffic homicide investigation.
"I know the family wants closure and I feel bad for them," Oakes said. "If there's some more evidence to this, I'm happy to listen. I'm not trying to get out of anything if we're involved in this."
Bianchi said westbound trucks on Davis Boulevard often cut through Brookside Drive and Estey Avenue so they can take a right turn on Airport-Pulling Road and more easily head south. A truck coming from Oakes Farms would have to drive west on Davis and make a U-turn somewhere in order to be able to make a right and head south on Airport.
Denise Rupert, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1994, said she has been complaining since 2002 to individual truck drivers, Oakes Farms, the county and the Sheriff's Office about trucks illegally using Estey Avenue. Nothing she did stopped the trucks from using her neighborhood as a cut through, she said.
Rupert said she called the Sheriff's Office just three weeks before Wallace was killed.
"I didn't know her, but I feel like I tried to prevent her death and no one helped me," Rupert said.
Wallace's husband, John Wallace, said he wants to keep other families from having to go through what he has.
"I just want to make the roads safer," he said. "And it never should have happened."
John Wallace met his wife more than three decades ago at a bowling alley. Robin was a manager at McDonald's, an avid reader, a Christmas light fanatic, a big hugger and the love of John's life, he said.
Every other night, he visits a little memorial site at the place where she died. He sometimes brings her flowers.
Each day is a battle.
"I just can't sleep at night," he said.
Winged Foot Scholar Athlete Award
2013 Winged Foot nominees
Baseball - Estero 3, Creekside 1
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 14
volochine writes:
This is horrid! Why are semi-trucks even allowed on a street that narrow? At first, I thought she was riding before daybreak. Then I read that she was riding in the afternoon, and a reference by the author, Jessica Lipscomb, that she was riding in the morning. The whitewash article fails to actually state an estimated time of impact.
If only we had a true investigative journalism team down here to find out how much Oakes paid to get this crime white-washed.
A lady dies because Oakes authorized shortcuts to save money. He may have built that business but he needs to take responsibility for killing a human being.
Despicable.
elnuestros writes:
A drunk on a bicycle in East Naples? Deputies would have cornered him in 10 minutes. But 18-wheelers using an off-limits street in a residential neighborhood?
They’re shocked, they tell you. Shocked.
Down-Eastener writes:
It does not take a genius to figure out why such unfortunate things like this happen. Just look at the process down here. The traffic enforcement unit sets up in different locations and announces where and when they will be there. The rest of the county is left alone for anything to happen on the road. I once called the sheriff’s office and spoke to the Lt. in charge of traffic in reference to such a problem and nothing was done. All I got was a yes sir we will take care of it. Why aren’t the traffic units patrolling the entire county? Guess if we call and ask all we will get is a yes sir we will take care of it.
o2cool writes:
I do not believe the Sheriff's dept said it was okay to use Estey Ave as a cut through. Alphie knows it is illegal for his big trucks to cut through the neighborhood. He also knows the deputies do not have time to sit and wait for his trucks to barrel down the road. I have seen deputies look for speeders on Estey, but ignore the over sized trucks and let them go by.
Maybe something will finally be done. Two deaths on Estey by hit and runs. About time the sheriff took notice and did something before someone else is killed.
freedomsailor writes:
Wow, how much was the payoff!
jelipscomb writes:
Hi volochine,
Not sure where you read afternoon, but Mrs. Wallace was found around 11:30 a.m. Hope that clears things up.
Jessica Lipscomb
shwing writes:
The 'process down here' caused this tragic accident???
One or both parties made a mistake, then the truck driver made a huge mistake by leaving.
The CCSO traffic department, if permanently set up on that street, maybe would have prevented this. However then they would not be available to respond to you or the 300,000+ people calling in saying, "people are speeding down my street!"
What they need to do is substantially raise taxes around here and hire a few thousand additional deputies so there is at least one permanently stationed on everyone's street 24/7/365 as well as enough for one in every school to prevent the next Sandy Hook, and leave some extra for the rest of the crime and crashes and domestic disputes etc that are going on in this and every town.
FreshFace writes:
She was always very kind to my dad and uncle, both of whom would go there daily for their coffee. RIP
swampbuggy writes:
Is there any physical evidence this truck hit her? Is there an eyewitness?
OP writes:
There was a time, not that long ago, when you could turn left off of Brookside Drive onto Davis, (and, correspondingly, left off Davis onto Brookside). Ironically, that function was converted to eliminate those connections in response to resident complaints about drivers using the Brookside/Estey route through their neighborhood as a shortcut. The County, in its wisdom, saw the elimination of a left turn off Davis and onto Brookside as a method of curtailing such abuse. And, now it appears that it is just such traffic that resulted in this woman's death.
Exposer writes:
Anyone can tell a McCain/Palin, Romney/Ryan voter from your post. It's so "clear" and "distinct"!
BillBrasky writes:
Lost_mind_long_ago your bizarre posts about sex in bathrooms never fail to entertain. Do you ever think of anything other than random gay sex? It seems to be all you write about.
As far as the biking issue, anyone with a brain knows that when you are on a bike you've got to look out for yourself. Assuming other people will follow traffic laws is suicide.
BillBrasky writes:
yet another post where you obsess over the bathrooms. At least your consistent. Person its okay, its 2013, just be honest with yourself and you wont be so angry anymore. I bet once you come out you wont be so obsessed with public bathroom sex.
BonitaBuoy writes:
My sincere condolences to Mr. Wallace and the kids. What a tragedy. :(
Like others who have commented on this, I too cannot imagine why semi trucks are driving down the narrow Estey Ave!
As a kid, I used to live on Embassy Lane back in the 80's and rode my bike to Brookside bowling alley daily. I don't recall semi trucks frequenting Estey or Brookside back in the day.
I hope the authorities get to the bottom of this and the family gets compensation.
RIP Robin.
Want to participate in the conversation? Become a subscriber today. Subscribers can read and comment on any story, anytime. Non-subscribers will only be able to view comments on select stories.