DANIA BEACH, Fla. – A 78-year-old jogger was recovering Wednesday after he was hit by a car and pronounced dead by a passer-by, then revived by a passing sheriff's deputy.
Broward County Deputy Tina Lacertosa was on routine patrol Monday when she came across the accident and found the victim, Eric Eaton, covered by a blanket in the roadway, authorities said.
Eaton had been visiting his son in Dania Beach when he was hit while crossing a street, according to a sheriff's report. A witness to the accident, who claimed to be a medical professional, had placed a blanket over Eaton and told the deputy he was dead.
Lacertosa called an ambulance and checked Eaton. He had head injuries and was bleeding profusely, but the deputy found a faint pulse, according to the report.
She started CPR, and Eaton began to breathe. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition, authorities said.
Eaton's relatives told authorities he was improving and described his condition as "guarded but optimistic."
The sheriff's office said an accident investigation was ongoing and no charges had been filed.
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