77-year-old man dies after June 4 car wreck

A 77-year-old man died today, about a week after his car became pinned beneath a truck during an accident on U.S. 19 in Clearwater.

George W. Sturm was driving a Ford Escort north on U.S. 19 early June 4 when he struck a semitrailer truck, authorities said. The truck's trailer had blocked all of the highway's northbound lanes while the driver tried to back into the parking lot of a Ford dealership.

He made "no attempt to stop or go around the semi" and slammed into the truck, the city's public safety spokeswoman said in a statement.

Authorities originally believed the injuries to Sturm were not life-threatening, but said this morning they were "very serious." He died about 4:35 p.m. Tuesday.

Casey Cora, Times staff writer