By Jeff Lipton
The other victim, a 15-year-old Lawrence High School student, was hit as he crossed in front of the school after dismissal, officials said.
Both victims sustained head and neck injuries, according to authorities. The student has since been released from the hospital, officials said.
Woman was 'The soul of chic'
In the fatal accident, Marian Gottlieb, 82, and her granddaughter, Kelly, 17, both of Hewlett, were crossing the street at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, when they stepped between two parked cars at Franklin Avenue, near Broadway in Woodmere, and were struck by a 1997 Nissan driven by Julius Rosenberg, 87, of Far Rockaway, police said. The driver was not charged, police added.
Both Gottlieb and her granddaughter were taken by ambulance to South Nassau Communities Hospital, officials said. The elderly woman was suffering a possible concussion and her granddaughter was banged up badly, said a police spokesperson.
A hospital spokesperson said the elderly woman was in the intensive care unit in guarded condition but succumbed to her injuries on Monday, Dec. 17. The teenage girl was not admitted to the hospital.
One woman, who did not want to be identified, said she and her husband were in their car and stopped at a light when they saw the accident unfold. She walked out between two cars with a young girl and she got bounced up against two cars, the witness said. The girl looked like she was in shock. The girl was screaming, 'Grandma, grandma' and was pulling her back to the sidewalk and out of the street. She looked like she was dead.
The woman said her husband rushed to the elderly woman's aid and at first the victim did not respond to his questions. But after several minutes, he asked her to blink her eyes if she understood him and she did. She was really bounced up against the car. It was awful, the witness said.
According to the Nassau County Medical Examiner, she died of blunt force head trauma, accidental.
Gottlieb, who worked as a legal liaison for an attorney's office in Rockville Centre, was born in Philadelphia, Pa. and was a resident of the Five Towns for 24 years. She was involved in numerous community activities. The soul of chic, her style, grace, class, compassion and joie de vivre set a standard that will never be equaled, her family said. An inspiration to all who knew her, she will remain in our hearts forever.
She was survived by children, Robert, Karen, and Jill; and grandchildren, Cara, Jodi, Alexis, Kelly and Alexandra. A service was held at Boulevard Riverside Chapels in Hewlett on Wednesday, Dec. 19.
Lawrence freshman struck
In the other incident, the student, identified as Venancio Cabel of North Lawrence, was crossing Peninsula Boulevard, at Oxford Road in Cedarhurst, at about 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 11, when he was struck by a 1998 BMW driven by Kayley Lubarsky, 17, of Atlantic Beach, police said. The car was moving east on Peninsula Boulevard when the accident occurred, police added. The driver was not charged in the incident, said police, who would not say what caused the accident.
The victim was flown by helicopter to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, where he was listed in fair condition, said Shelly Lotenberg, a hospital spokesperson. He was discharged from the hospital on Monday, she said.
We called in an airlift because he's a teenager, so we err on the cautious side, said one police officer at the accident scene. His head hit the front windshield of the BMW. He was conscious and talking to us.
He was critical, but I spoke to his father and he's coming along nicely, which is good news, said Dr. Steven Kussin, Lawrence High School principal. It was scary for all of us, really scary.
He said the student, who is a freshman at the school, is new to the district. The principal said an ambulance transported the student to the nearby football field, where he was met by a police helicopter within minutes, airlifting him for treatment at the hospital.
Although he was new to the district, every teacher I've spoken to said, 'What a lovely boy he is.' Everyone feels bad about what happened, Kussin said.
The principal said cards and balloons, from students, administrators, staff and the PTA, have been rolling in, wishing the teenager a speedy recovery.
We are doing what we can to help, the principal said.
Kussin has long warned students about the dangers of walking to and from school, since the heavily-trafficked Peninsula Boulevard runs alongside school grounds. I made a speech to kids and told them again that it is a dangerous intersection and an accident waiting to happen. I told them not to stand in the middle of the road and don't dart across.
The principal has been an advocate of keeping a closed campus and students on grounds during lunch hour, in large part because of the hazardous roadway. But a closed campus policy would not have prevented last week's accident, which occurred shortly after school let out. I can't keep them here 24 hours a day, Kussin said.
He said school officials and the PTA have been most active and diligent trying to change the traffic patterns to make it safer for students to cross, or even to get a crossing guard. So far it's been difficult. Peninsula Boulevard is horrible, the principal said.
Even though he said last week's accident did not appear to involve a speeding vehicle, he added that Peninsula Boulevard has a long run in which you could pick up some speed if you get the green light. It's a lousy road. We've had some accidents there but nothing like this.
Insp. George Gudmundsen, commander of the Fourth Precinct, said he has received several complaints about the stretch of road and police have been stationed there to vigorously enforce traffic laws. He added that he continues to review the area. We're doing more there than we've done before [in terms of traffic enforcement], Gudmundsen said.
Kussin added, It's very upsetting. It's not a good scene over there.
