Tragedy struck the student community at Florida State University on April 29th, 2024, when beloved student, Elizabeth Ellie Sims was struck and killed by a car in a hit-and-run accident.
Sims was hit in the crosswalk near the intersection of Lorene and Pensacola streets by a speeding driver who refused to stop.
The 20-year-old was badly hurt and died from her injuries on the scene, despite the best efforts of all those around who attempted to help her.
Immediately after the accident, Tallahassee PD announced an investigation into the crash, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that they are looking into a fatal crash that killed a pedestrian “near the intersection of Lorene and Pensacola Street…”
That investigation led them to identify and arrest Willis Trueblood Jr who is just 18 years old.
“Today, the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) has arrested one person following the deadly hit-and-run crash that occurred on Monday…” TPD said in a statement.
“Preliminary information obtained from witnesses on scene indicate the victim, an adult female, was utilizing the designated crosswalk when she was struck by 18-year-old Willis Trueblood Jr. Following the collision, Trueblood fled the scene,”
Trueblood Jr confessed to police that he hit Sims and said he ran away because he panicked and did not know what to do.
“I didn’t know what to do, so I left…I hit somebody, and I just messed up,” he said.
In his confession, Trueblood Jr said the accident occurred because the sun was shining down on his car and affecting his vision to the extent that he had to bring down his visor to block the incoming rays.
He said he had just made a turn when Sims appeared out of nowhere and he struck her.
Willis Trueblood Jr was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death and pleaded not guilty.
Who was Ellie Sims?
Elizabeth Ellie Marie Sims was born on December 7th, 2003 to her parents in Tallahassee, Florida.
A vibrant and energetic child filled with unwavering confidence, she grew up in St. Augustine, Florida, and Franklin, Tennessee.
Sims had her education at Page Middle School and Page High in Franklin, Tennessee.
Always filled with boundless energy, she played soccer and girls’ flag football and had a ton of other hobbies including baking, dancing, swimming, skateboarding, and painting.
Sims was a lively and outgoing person described as a ‘beacon of light to all who knew her’.
Despite all her extra-curricular activities, Sims never neglected her academic activities and was an honors and AP student.
She gained admission to Florida State University’s Honors College.
As part of her innate spirit of adventure, she took advantage of the University’s study abroad program and spent the Spring 2023 semester at FSU’s Florence Campus in Italy. During that time she also took the chance to travel to six other countries when the semester ended!
Back at FSU, she joined the Beta Eta Chapter of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority in the fall of 2024.
The sorority released the following statement following her death: “To our beautiful Ellie, know our sisterhood is shared far and wide, heaven, and earth side – we will love and remember you forever.
“You were truly the epitome of an Alpha Chi Omega: involved with FSU Honors College, FSU CHAW, an avid runner, an entrepreneurship student, and a fashionista.
“We will forever miss your infectious smile, jamming out while meal prepping in the kitchenette and positive presence that lit up every room,” the statement concluded.
According to numerous posts spotted on Reddit by this website, students at FSU are not happy with the crosswalk where Sims died which they view as particularly deadly.
One student revealed how they were nearly hit twice at the same crosswalk, complaining that “nobody pays attention to the cross walks even if they’re blinking yellow,”