VALDOSTA — Officials have released the names of two pedestrians who were struck and killed in separate incidents this weekend.
A male pedestrian died during the weekend along Bemiss Road. A female pedestrian died after an incident on North Ashley Street.
Bemiss Road incident
Lowndes County Coroner Bill Watson said that the man who was hit by four vehicles on Bemiss Road early Saturday morning has been identified as 32-year-old Luis Omar Rivera.
Rivera was hit about 4 a.m. along the 3300 block of Bemiss Road, just south of Harveys and Wendy’s, while walking. He died at the scene. Watson said the cause of death was blunt force trauma.
A native of Puerto Rico, Rivera was a Ray City resident who worked as a cook at the Smok’n Pig restaurant, where he had been employed since the restaurant opened nearly a year ago.
The first driver who allegedly hit Rivera has been arrested and charged with DUI and felony leaving the scene of an accident with serious injury or fatality, according to a Georgia State Patrol spokesperson. The GSP representative, who would not identify himself, said that the driver had gotten out of the vehicle after hitting Rivera, realized that he hit someone, got back into his vehicle and left the scene. However, the driver left passengers behind at the scene.
The driver, Jeffrey Lojuk, 25, was arrested in the city limits by the Valdosta Police Department and turned over to the GSP, said Valdosta Police Department Cmdr. Brian Childress.
Lojuk, an airman from Moody Air Force Base, is charged with DUI and felony leaving the scene of an accident with serious injury or fatality, according to the GSP.
Rivera’s remains will be transported back to Puerto Rico, Watson said, where he will be buried. Friends and restaurant employees are planning a memorial service for Rivera next week, following the funeral.
Ashley Street incident
A Valdosta woman who was hit and killed Thursday night has been identified as 67-year-old Geraldine Theriot, according to the Lowndes County coroner.
Theriot was hit around 11:07 p.m. on North Ashley Street, just south of East Moore Street. She was transported to South Georgia Medical Center where she died a short time later. Her cause of death was blunt force trauma, Watson said.
A memorial service for Theriot was held in Valdosta Monday.
Theriot had three children, two from Louisiana and one from Missouri. Theriot and her siblings were raised in Valdosta, a family member told The Times Monday.
Theriot’s family expresses thanks for the prayers and food during their time of bereavement.
Theriot “was crossing North Ashley Street and was struck by a vehicle traveling in the northbound lane of North Ashley Street,” Valdosta Police Lt. Bobbie McGraw said.
Coincidentally, a Valdosta police cruiser happened to be behind the vehicle. The police unit’s in-car camera system recorded the incident, Valdosta Police Cmdr. Brian Childress said last week. The police cruiser was not involved in the incident, but was able to immediately work the scene.
The woman apparently stepped in front of the oncoming vehicle. She made an effort to run but too late, and the vehicle struck her.
Police did not release the driver’s name, but McGraw said no charges have been filed against the driver. Based on the recording, the driver had no chance of stopping the car, Childress said. He didn’t have time to even hit his brakes.
Local News
Two pedestrians struck and killed in separate accidents
- Local News
-
-
Don Giovanni: VSU presents Mozart’s most famous opera
VALDOSTA — Editing Mozart isn’t for sissies.
It takes a certain knowledge, talent and sheer chutzpah to perform surgery on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Alas, in our age of short-attention spans, it is a challenge which many opera productions must consider, given that many of Mozart’s originals stretched as long as four hours. -
Traffic Unit coming to Hahira
HAHIRA — The Hahira City Council voted to allow the addition of a Traffic Enforcement Unit to the Hahira Police Department at Thursday night’s regular session council meeting.
The Traffic Enforcement Unit will patrol two miles of Interstate 75 and according to Hahira Police Chief Terry Davis, has nothing to do with making money and everything to do with the safety of Hahira’s citizens. -
Life’s a Drag
Theatre Guild Valdosta unleashes some of its leading players this week to star in its newest comedy, “Leading Ladies.”
-
Driving into the Future
President John F. Kennedy once said that children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. You hear a variation of this every day, but it’s not often that you come across a teacher that whole-heartedly believes it.
-
Lowndes' Harvey-Clemons sends letter of intent to Georgia
Regarded as the state of Georgia’s best player, Lowndes’ Josh Harvey-Clemons announced Wednesday that he will be staying in-state to play college football.
-
Lowndes' grading guide stirs controversy
The Lowndes County school system has implemented a new guide to grading for students in the third through eighth grades that has caused alarm among parents in the community.
-
Giving Back: Boys and Girls Club honors volunteers
Seventeen-year-old Jacob Beverly thought he was invited to the 66th Annual Dinner Meeting of the Boys & Girls Club of Valdosta Tuesday night only to give a speech.
He didn't realize that he was also being honored as the recipient of the 2011 “Youth of the Year” award by the organization. -
Deer Fest coming in March as an all new adventure
When the 8th annual Deep Woods Deer Fest opens on Saturday, March 3 it will have evolved into the South Georgia OutdoorFest.
-
Hahira website manager fired
The City of Hahira terminated its website manager after a number of city council minutes went missing from the database, according to Hahira City Manager Jonathan Sumner at Monday night’s city council work session.
-
Ramona Quimby: Bringing a children’s book to life
Monday may have been the “Ramona Quimby” cast’s first time stepping on stage in costume, but they will become used to these clothes. Very used to them.
In addition to Valdosta State University Theatre & Dance’s two public performances this weekend, these student actors will wear these costumes in approximately 20 more shows. - More Local News Headlines
-
Killer of Fla. Girl Found in Landfill Gets Life
Army Orders Bradley Manning Court-martial
Cancer Charity Revives Breast-screening Grants
Heavy Snowstorm Hits Colorado On Its Way East
2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim
Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges
Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy
Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3%
Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs
GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better
Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle
More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue
Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands
Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths
'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant
Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest
First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy?
Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot
New Suits, New Starts for New York's Unemployed
Hall of Famer Dorsett Speaks Out on NFL Injuries
