(FALMOUTH, Maine) August 30, 2021 – A 75-year-old man was hit and killed by a driver in the parking lot of a Falmouth Hannaford on Friday.
Windham resident Philip Stevens, 75, was in the parking lot of the grocery store at 65 Gray Road in Falmouth when he was struck around 11:40 a.m.
“We can’t imagine how difficult this tragedy is for everyone involved,” said Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM) Executive Director Jean Sideris. “We are pleading with drivers to pay careful attention anywhere people are walking and biking, and urge vulnerable users to be vigilant around all vehicles—even in parking lots.”
According to the BCM, this was the third pedestrian killed in Maine parking lots in 2021.
Less than a month ago, two pedestrians were killed when a driver careened into an East Waterboro parking lot and killed Mark Schepis, 45, and Luke Stephenson, 12.
The BCM urges law enforcement to investigate and examine the parking lot conditions, pedestrian facilities, history of crashes at this location, driver behavior, and any additional circumstances that may have been contributing factors. They also urge businesses to examine their parking lot conditions and design with pedestrians in mind.
Additional details about the Falmouth fatality have not been made available, and the driver’s name has not been released.
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The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is the statewide voice of cyclists and pedestrians. Since 1992, the BCM has led the effort to make Maine better for bicycling and walking by protecting the rights and safety of cyclists and pedestrians through education, advocacy, legislation, and encouragement. We support biking and walking for health, transportation, and recreation. For more information, visit bikemaine.org.