Family grieves woman fatally struck by car near Lou's Blues bar in Melbourne
It was supposed to be a joyous night out in Indialantic.
Stephanie Delli parked at Walmart on the beachside to watch her family perform onstage Saturday night at Lou's Blues Bar and Restaurant.
But within moments of stepping onto a busy, darkened stretch of State Road A1A about half a block from a pedestrian crosswalk, the 51-year-old Sebastian woman was struck by a car. She was pronounced dead at Holmes Regional Medical Center.
"She never made it to Lou's Blues," said Jody Delli, tearfully recalling the moment she learned that her sister-in-law was hit by a vehicle outside the nightspot. "Everybody was there, it was going to be a family night. We were on the stage performing when the manager came up and made the announcement that she had been hit by a car."
Jody Delli is lead singer of the local group Luna Pearl.
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Stephanie Delli's death happened as community leaders, civil engineers and police struggle to make roadways like S.R. A1A on the beachside safer for pedestrians, some of whom do not always use crosswalks to cross the busy scenic coastal road.
The deadly crash near Lou's Blues Bar and Restaurant also comes as beach-area municipalities plan to install over a dozen crosswalk beacons. The new safety features are designed to warn motorists about pedestrian-heavy traffic areas.
A Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles study noted vehicle versus pedestrian deaths have increased 27 percent across Brevard County in the last five years.
The new crosswalk flashing systems will be installed by the Florida Department of Transportation from Satellite Beach south to Indialantic.
Saturday's tragedy happened just yards from where a new flashing crosswalk light system will be installed.
"(Delli) did not have the right of way," said Cmdr. Marc Claycomb with the Melbourne Police Department.
The accident
The roadway near the intersection is typically dark at night. Some bar patrons crowd the parking lot at Lou's Blues and sometimes utilize the parking lot at the Walmart across the street.
Delli’s family members were inside at two reserved tables. The band was performing their musical set about 9:39 p.m. Saturday at the nightspot.
Within moments after the crash, the venue's manager stepped on stage, interrupting the music and asking if anyone knew Stephanie Delli. Family members raced outside to the scene. Outside, a nurse who was passing by stopped and administered CPR to Delli who was lying on the ground unresponsive.
Police said she had been struck by a vehicle driven by 47-year-old Eric Petersen of Indian Harbor Beach. Delli was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.
"She was just...the sweetest thing, adorable. Just kind to everyone," Jody Delli said, who also took to Facebook to share her thoughts.
“Our entire family is obviously grieving and stressed over this tragic loss … There will be a remembrance service and we will let everyone know details once we have them all together,” wrote Jody Delli about her sister-in-law in a social media post.
Crashes
The stretch of highway that runs south of Eau Gallie Boulevard and onto S.R. A1A has been the site of five crashes involving pedestrians since 2014.
Delli’s death was the only fatality reported in that area. Three of the cases involved serious injuries.
Other deadly incidents have also taken place in the nearby area along the beachside. On Nov. 2, an 82-year-old man walking to Shabbat services in Satellite Beach was struck and killed as he tried to cross S.R. A1A in Satellite Beach.
Officer Mark Whitright, a traffic homicide investigator with Melbourne police, stood at Canova Beach Park a few blocks from where the fatal incident involving Delli occurred over the weekend. He couldn't comment on the open investigation, but said these kinds of cases can prompt extra patrols and details.
Crosswalks traverse S.R. A1A on either side of where the woman was struck. Less than a mile down the road to the south of the bar is a pedestrian overpass.
"We look at the particulars of how a crash occurred. If the cause of the crash is driver actions, we act upon that. If it's pedestrian or cyclist, we enforce in that area," Whitright said.
"We can do proactive enforcement, but really it's up to pedestrians to be proactive and use the crosswalks."
Education
Whitright said Melbourne police are trying to educate residents who walk along the busy, but scenic highway that draws tourists, beach-goers, residents and joyriders alike. If officers see a pedestrian or cyclist dangerously misusing the roadway, they might hand out an educational pamphlet before a ticket.
The department recently applied for a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation to help improve safety in the area.
High Visibility Enforcement grants are available to the 20 most dangerous counties in the state for pedestrians and cyclists, including Brevard County. The grant would cover overtime hours for police to enforce traffic laws in dangerous areas.
Jody Delli said she doesn't think new crosswalk designs will help. But, she said, something must be done to protect pedestrians in the area.
"Crosswalks are not going to help. There needs to be a walking bridge right there in that area. You have Walmart, the hotel, the steakhouse, and Lou's Blues," said Delli, whose family is now planning a memorial for her sister-in-law.
"The crosswalk they have now is half a block down the other way. And even when you get across, you end up walking along the dirt and the cars are (going) by you even faster there," she said.
"It's just not safe."
Contact Gallop at 321-242-3642, jdgallop@floridatoday.com and Twitter @JDGallop
Contact Vazquez at tvazquez@floridatoday.com, 321-917-7491 or on Twitter @tyler_vazquez