LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Hopkinsville woman is urging drivers to be more cautious after her father was struck and killed while crossing a busy road in Louisville this week.
Sydney Kvindis is mourning the loss of her father, Dallas Ritter, who was hit by a car early Monday morning while crossing Poplar Level Road near Illinois Avenue.
Although police said Ritter wasn’t in a crosswalk at the time, Kvindis wants people to remember that her father’s life mattered.
“He is someone’s father. He was someone’s brother. Everyone is someone’s something,” Kvindis said.
Ritter, who was homeless, was well-known to many in the community. Kvindis reflected on the connections he made, even while living on the streets.
“Seeing how many people he’s impacted as a homeless man on the streets, man, is how most people know him,” she said.
Dallas Ritter with his family. (Photo courtesy of Sydney Kvindis)
An off-duty officer was among the first to arrive on scene of the crash. While grappling with her loss, Kvindis hopes people will focus on the man her father was before hardship overtook his life.
“The man that passed away on Monday, that wasn’t my dad — he was lost,” she said. “I want to remember the man who got my mom to fall in love with him and marry him. He was a person, you know? And I want to honor that.”
A Growing Concern
Ritter’s death marks the fourth pedestrian fatality in Louisville in less than two weeks. Other incidents have occurred on Fern Valley Road and Valley Station Road.
The frequency of these tragedies underscores the need for greater caution on the roads, according to Kvindis.
“What if that was your loved one? What if that was your dad? What if that was your grandfather, your brother? That’s a life,” she said.
Police confirmed that the driver involved in Monday’s crash stopped at the scene, and no charges are expected to be filed.
As Kvindis continues to grieve, she hopes her father’s story will serve as a reminder to drivers to slow down and stay vigilant.
To help the family, contact Owen Funeral Home on Dixie Highway at (502) 447-2600 and ask for Melissa Roberson.
Related Stories:
- Pedestrian dies after being hit while crossing Poplar Level Road, Louisville police say
- 56-year-old man identified as pedestrian killed on Fern Valley Road in Louisville
- Pedestrian hit and killed trying to remove something from roadway on I-265 in Louisville
- Pedestrian killed in crash in Valley Station, Louisville police say
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