PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fl. — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) is investigating after an elderly pedestrian was struck and killed by a driver who was backing out of their driveway.
Police said Ana Maria Tapia Gomez, 78, was walking beside the roadway at the 4000 block of Lucille Drive in Lake Worth on Saturday afternoon when she was hit by the car.
“I was in shock," Gomez's daughter, Amanda Palacios, said. "I couldn’t believe it."
Palacios told WPTV her mother was diagnosed with diabetes and was encouraged to walk. Gomez was on her way to her daughter’s house for dinner, when things took a tragic turn.
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“For me, it was a hard hit,” Palacios said. “She will never be gone. As long as as we’re here, in our hearts, she will always be alive.”
Palacios shared Gomez was a loving mother, sister, and friend to many.
They describe Gomez as a hard worker who loved to cook for her nine adult children and their grandchildren.
“She was a strong woman, a role model, a fighter,” Palacios said. “Fair. A bit mischievous but had a big heart. If we were born again, we’d love to once again have her as a mother, because for us she was the best.”
The family said Gomez was just days away from a family vacation in Arizona.
They hope the driver will be held accountable for the pain they’ve caused their family.
“What I expect, wholeheartedly, after his tragedy is justice to be served,” Palacios said.
PBSO officials said the investigation is active. There are no pending criminal charges for the driver at this time.
