HOLIDAY, Fla. — A Pasco County family is pushing for justice and more driver awareness as they mourn the loss of their mother who was killed when police say a driver ran a red light in St. Petersburg over the weekend.
“Next week, when we go into Christmas and New Years and she's not there, it's going to make a huge impact on how we celebrate,” said Amanda Dempsey, the daughter-in-law of Alicia “Ann” Prather.
“There's not a moment that we don't think about her and cry out of nowhere, because you don't know how to handle it,” she added.
Prather was one of two pedestrians who were killed Saturday afternoon, struck by a car, while walking on a St. Pete sidewalk near her apartment.
Police say 21-year-old Owen Whittaker was speeding and ran a red light on 4th Street near 72nd Avenue, colliding with another car who was attempting to turn left.
Investigators say Whittaker then drove off the road, hitting and killing Prather and a 62-year-old man who was on a bicycle. Police have not yet identified the male victim. Both drivers were uninjured.
Whittaker has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide.
“We're going to be going for justice, we're not going to stop until we get it,” said Maurice Dempsey, Prather’s son.
Their calls for justice come as they now try to navigate life without the matriarch of their family, who also helped care for Maurice’s brother who has special needs.
“She was so selfless, she didn't care about herself, always put people — everybody — before herself. Just so sad, so tragic," Maurice added.
They hope sharing the story of their loving mom makes people think twice while out on the roads.
“We're not doing this because we want pity. It's just that this could save someone else's life, somebody could think about running another red light and the consequences and the people they leave behind,” Dempsey explained.
The family is raising money to help with funeral costs and care for their brother. If you’d like to help, click here.