TAMPA, Fla. — A vigil was held on Saturday to honor George Gage, the pedestrian who died Thursday in a DUI-related crash on Bayshore Boulevard.

Tampa Police say Benjamin Ehas admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana before he lost control of his work truck and hit Gage, 70, on the sidewalk along Bayshore Boulevard. 

Friends and community members gathered to honor and remember Gage on Saturday. 

“Always had a smile on his face, always happy,” said Bill Josey, a friend of Gage’s. “I’m still trying to process the fact that he’s not with us. I’m having a hard time believing it."

Josey says he was friends with Gage for four years.

“He was just a wonderful, wonderful human being,” he added.

Community members put flowers and tied shoelaces along the area of the seawall that was damaged from the crash. The shoelaces represent unity. 

“People aren’t thinking. People forget very soon about what happened two years ago, about what just happened,” said John Reisinger. His niece, Jessica was killed while crossing Bayshore Boulevard in May of 2018. Her toddler, Lillia was also killed.

 

Photo credit: Jorja Roman

 

Many residents along Bayshore want to see the road reconstructed. 

“We need to change the way we use this street. We need to change the structure of this street,” said Alexander Engelman, a member of WalkBikeTampa.

On Sunday, residents will gather for a community meeting to discuss ideas about how Bayshore Boulevard could be made safer. They're meeting at 6 p.m. at 3118 Wast Harbor View Avenue. They'll meet again at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. 

 

 

Photo credit: Jorja Roman