A 61-year-old woman from the UK sustained serious injuries after being hit at a pedestrian crossing by a suspected drunk driver while vacationing with her husband in Turkey.
The terrifying situation escalated as the driver allegedly attempted to escape, running over Lisa Di Palma once more while she lay on the ground.
In a social media update, her husband, Keith Di Palma, recounted the ‘horrific’ event of August 6, revealing his wife’s multiple injuries and subsequent transfer to medical care to start her long recovery process.
He described how his wife did not remember ‘anything of the accident’ – a fact he said was ‘a blessing’.
‘I’m a broken man, but I will stay strong for my family and my beautiful loving wife,’ he wrote.
The couple, who have operated a football club in Hornchurch for 27 years, were on holiday in the port city of Fethiye, located in southwestern Muğla Province.
However, in the final week of their vacation, the traffic accident on Cahit Beğenç Boulevard in the Foça Neighborhood resulted in Mrs. Di Palma being hospitalized with critical injuries.
The 61-year-old was reportedly using a pedestrian crossing when a car knocked her down onto the road.
A 61-year-old British woman has been left seriously injured after she was knocked down on a pedestrian crossing by an allegedly drunk driver
The British couple, who have run a football club in Hornchurch for the past 27 years, were enjoying a holiday in the port city of Fethiye
Posting on social media, her husband, Keith Di Palma, described how his wife had sustained multiple injuries after the ‘horrific’ incident
As Mrs Di Palma lay knocked down after the first impact, the car continued to accelerate, trampling over her body.
The driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, according to Turkish newspaper Nefes Gazetesi.
The report claims that it was when the driver tried to hastily flee the scene that he ran over Mrs Di Palma again.
Locals screamed as the incident unfolded, as three men pushed the vehicle off of Mrs Di Palma and shouted at the driver through the car window.
A photo shows three police officers taking a suspect into custody.
Citing witnesses, local media reported how the driver tried to escape the scene by foot before being apprehended by officers.
Mrs Di Palma reportedly received first aid from paramedics before she was taken to hospital by ambulance.
An investigation has reportedly been launched into the incident.
A photo shows three police officers taking a suspect, who was allegedly under the influence, into custody
Keith Di Palma described how his wife did not remember ‘anything of the accident’ – a fact he said was ‘a blessing’
The British couple have been running the Tigers Junior Football Club in east London for over two decades
During the last week of the trip, the motoring incident on the Cahit Beğenç Boulevard in the Foça Neighborhood left Mrs Di Palma in hospital
The British couple have been running the Tigers Junior Football Club in east London for over two decades.
The football club, offering opportunities for players aged 14 and up to pursue careers in refereeing and coaching, was honored for its significant role in sports at the London Sports Awards in 2021.
In 2022, a British tourist was killed in Turkey after a driver lost control.
Patricia Bernadette Ward, 71, was hit by a car in the southwest city of Bodrum.
She was on holiday with her friends when a driver lost control of the steering wheel, mounted the pavement, veered into a bollard and crashed into the woman, local media reported.
