PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (Gray News) – A father vacationing with his family in Florida died when he was struck by a car while protecting his loved ones, his family said.
Florida Highway Patrol officials said the accident occurred shortly after 9 p.m. Friday night.
They said a group of people were walking outside a marked crosswalk on Front Beach Road west of Kelly Road. In that group were 29-year-old Thomas Lyon and his family.
As the group crossed the street, a 2024 Nissan Altima sped down one of the eastbound lanes of Front Beach Road, WJHG reported.
As the car passed, it struck and killed one of the pedestrians, later identified as Lyon.
Police took 39-year-old Casey Austin Rattan into custody.
Investigators said Rattan, of Panama City Beach, was under the influence of alcohol and was taken into custody on charges of manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter.
Officials said the family of Lyon, who was from Brumley, Missouri, has been notified.
Authorities are still investigating the accident.
Lyon’s relatives have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay his funeral expenses.
“To know Thomas was to love him. He just had this personality, he would do anything to help someone and loved passionately,” the GoFundMe post reads. “His girls are what keeps his life going.”
According to Lake Expo News, Lyon and his wife had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary on July 31 at the same venue where they were married.
They had also just found out that they were expecting their third child.
“Thomas will never get the chance to meet his unborn baby because a selfish, uncaring man took everything from him and from us,” the GoFundMe post said. “We want to do everything in our power to make sure the man who did this gets everything he deserves and more.”
Lyon was the sole breadwinner of the family and any additional funds from the GoFundMe campaign will be used to support the family.
Relatives said the money will be used for Lyons’ funeral expenses, as well as legal fees and to pay the family’s bills.
“The last thing a widow and her children need to worry about is how to bury their loved one and get the justice Thomas deserves,” the post said. “We are eternally grateful for the overwhelming love and support. Please pray for the Lyon family!”
As of Thursday, the GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $36,000 of its original $9,000 goal.
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