Drivers trap man who hit school crossing guard and drove off, Clearwater police say

CLEARWATER — A 78-year-old school crossing guard was struck Wednesday by a driver who tried to escape but was blocked in by other drivers, according to Clearwater police.

The incident took place at about 4:28 p.m. on Belcher Road S and Catalina Drive, near Oak Grove Middle School.

The crossing guard, Ernest Comeau, was helping students cross Catalina Drive when police said he was struck by a Honda Accord. But driver Gregory Olson didn’t stop and drove off, police said.

The Honda, though, was quickly pinned in by other drivers in the area of S Belcher Road and Nursery Road, police said.

Comeau suffered injuries that were not considered “life-threatening,” police said. He was taken to Morton Plant Hospital for medical treatment.

Olson, 68, of Clearwater, was arrested on a felony charge of leaving the scene of a crash involving bodily injuring and was cited for driving with a suspended license and failure to obey a traffic control device, according to Clearwater police. He was being held in the Pinellas County jail on Thursday in lieu of $5,250 bail.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story included an image of a Ford sedan. That vehicle did not hit the crossing guard, but was struck by the Honda Accord as it tried to get away, police said.