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Quarrel Preceded U.S. 19 Death

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By LISA A. DAVIS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 28, 2008

PORT RICHEY - Florida Highway Patrol troopers are investigating the death of a 46-year-old woman who was hit by a motorcycle on U.S. 19 about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Witnesses told Pasco County deputies, who arrived first at the scene at U.S. 19 and Johnson Road, that they saw a man and a woman arguing on the east side of U.S. 19.

Dale Hartley Jr., 46, of Port Richey, noticed the couple as he drove his motorcycle to a RaceTrac gas station and saw the woman walk to the road and stick her thumb up.

About 10 minutes later, according to a report, he was driving south on the highway and the same woman, later identified as Laurie Darcy, "walked into the roadway from nowhere," and Hartley struck her with his motorcycle.

Another witness told a deputy the woman ran to his car shouting, "Help me!" She begged Howard Price to let her in his car, but the woman's husband, Keith Darcy, 43, screamed at him not to interfere, a report states. Keith Darcy grabbed her arm, trying to pull her away from Price's car. Laurie Darcy swung a bottle of vodka, and Keith Darcy pushed her into the road, the sheriff's office report states.

Laurie Darcy continued crossing U.S. 19 and ran into the path of the motorcycle, according to the report.

She was taken to Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, where she was pronounced dead.

Anyone with information may call highway patrol Cpl. K.W. Ratcliff at (727) 841-4181.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

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