Resident Says Lack of Sidewalks Led to Wheelchair-Bound Woman’s Death

By Deanne Stein, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A tragic accident has some community members outraged. A wheelchair-bound woman was killed when she was hit by a car Friday. Now, one resident is speaking out in hopes of keeping other handicap people safe and off the streets.

The accident happened near the intersection of N.E. 23rd Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard. The accident was one of two on Friday morning, but the other woman hit is going to be OK.

In light of these pedestrian accidents, resident Robin Leake said she believes simple sidewalks could have prevented the death of the handicapped woman.

"I see them dodging traffic. I see them rolling out in there and having to come back because it's not safe. I've seen that here and in the midst of construction them having to travel in the street in order to make it around," said Robin Leake.

She's talking about handicapped pedestrians who try to make their way from one place to another. And while there are curb cutouts at the intersection of N.E. 23rd Street and MLK Boulevard, sometimes the pathway ends there.

When the woman in a wheelchair was killed on Friday, Leake said that was the last straw.

"Now maybe something will be done about it. Sad that it had to come to this point and somebody had to lose their life," Leake said.

Leake said she's spoken to the city about the issue before but was told it was up to the individual businesses to pay for the sidewalks.

"Maybe they can build relationships with these businesses and complete some sidewalks instead of having a ramp to nowhere. These people would have a place to go and do it safely," she said.

And as for the woman killed, Leake said she believes she had to crisscross from one side of the street to the other, just to stay on solid ground.

"I don't want people to believe she was out there being careless. I believe she tried to protect herself," Leake said.

Leake plans to take her concerns to the city again. Meanwhile the driver who hit the handicapped woman was not charged with any wrongdoing.

The city does have a committee on disability concerns and a policy concerning sidewalks. Read the city's sidewalk policy.

More: Wheelchair-Bound Woman Hit, Killed By Motorist While Crossing OKC Street