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Man With Alzheimer's, 86, Dies In Gainesville Pedestrian Crash

An 86-year-old Gainesville man with Alzheimer’s died today after he was hit by a car at the intersection of University Avenue and Main Street in downtown Gainesville.

Nathan Gambles stepped into the road, and a black Mazda hit him, according to a news release from Gainesville police spokesman Ben Tobias. When the first officer arrived at 3:25 a.m., Gambles wasn’t breathing, so the officer began CPR.

Gambles was taken to UF Health Shands hospital and was later pronounced dead because of the injuries, the release said.

Prior to the crash, Gambles was reported missing by his granddaughter, Tobias later told WUFT News. Gambles had no previous missing person reports.

No charges have been filed against the driver.

When a traffic death occurs, a full traffic homicide investigation is conducted, Tobias said.

This includes things like looking at the toxicology of driver and pedestrian, speaking to any witnesses and reviewing any security-camera footage, he said.

“It’s just a good reminder for drivers to drive defensively and just assume that anything is going to happen,” Tobias told WUFT.

Leah Marshall is a reporter for WUFT News and can be reached at 352-392-6397 or leah.marshall@ufl.edu.