Juan and Marta Rosales - Victims of an Elderly Hit and Run Driver - Coquitlam, British Columbia

Juan and Marta Rosales

Juan Jose Rosales, age 76, and Marta Rosales, age 66, died on the afternoon of November 27, 2013, on a street in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

They were about 130 metres away from their home when they were struck by a man driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck. They died at the scene.

Police said they were trying to determine if Juan and Marta were crossing the street with the crosswalk light or against it. Drugs, alcohol or speed were not a factor in the fatal accident.

Family members state that the couple were actually waiting on the sidewalk when they were hit and were not even in the crosswalk. They say the truck jumped the curb and hit them.

A motorcyclist followed the truck driver to his home and called police. A man in his late 80's or early 90's was arrested but released without charges.

If you know of any details relating to this incident, please contact the Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550.

This very tragic incident involves the entire issue of the elderly driving. 

The other day I was walking past a local nursing home in my own home town. A man drove up in order to visit someone (maybe his wife or loved one). He got out of the car. He was tall, and about 85 years old. He could barely move his legs. His legs were like pillars of stone.  It took him 5 minutes to walk 5 feet. And this man is driving? With legs that have turned to stone.....How do you press the brake pedal?

Driving is a privilege and is not a right. You can't drive a 4,000 pound death machine if you can't move your legs or your arms, or if you can't see or hear.

Justice Institute of B.C. spokesperson Ken Davies said as the population ages, the number of seniors on B.C.’s roads will steadily increase. People need to be aware that more and more seniors will be driving, and the onus falls on families as well as doctors to make sure elderly drivers are fit to be behind the wheel.

Duh?  Where is the onus on the government licensing agencies and the legislators?

Actually the onus falls on the B.C. government (and all provincial and state governments) to set limits for an allowable age to drive and to not leave it up to the discretion of the individual, their family members or their doctor.

Drivers can be 75 or 80 or 90 years old and still think that they drive "just fine". But then while driving they have a stroke, a cardiac event, a blood clot, an aneurysm, or a diabetic shock incident and crash their car into a restaurant or a bus stop and 20 people could be sent to their graves over it.

Legislators need to step in, get real, stop worrying about winning potential voters among the seniors and get tough with age restrictions on driving. 

No one over 80 should be driving any vehicle except an electric 
wheelchair or a golf cart. 

Saint Jude, pray for Juan
and Marta Rosal

Juan Rosales was a pastor at Iglesia De Dios Church. He and his wife, Marta, had been married for 52 years.

Their family is deeply upset about this tragic incident.

Juan and Marta are survived by many loving friends and relatives including their 5 children and numerous grandchildren and extended family. 

Pray for all who die violently and by misadventure. They are with us one moment and gone the next.

Pray that Juan and Marta are in heaven. Pray that they are at peace and are with God. Amen.