Community mourns disabled man’s death
Timothy Baxter, who often walked around, was struck by a car.
BOYNTON BEACH — A life-long resident of Boynton Beach, Timothy Baxter was a fixture on the streets near Seacrest Boulevard and his home on Southeast Ninth Avenue. At 53 years old, he was disabled and didn’t drive. He was always walking around.
That’s what worried his friend William Shawn Breze: Baxter treading across the busy boulevard north of Woolbright Road.
On Sunday, Baxter was hit by a car while crossing Seacrest near his home.
“He was always careful about crossing the street. That’s what really bothers me. I used to give him a hard time about it. That’s why I don’t understand what happened,” Breze, 52, said Monday.
Their friendship stretched back to childhood. Even in their 50s, the two saw each other a couple of times a day. They crossed paths as recently as Sunday.
But later that afternoon, Baxter was hit and taken to Delray Medical Center, where he died, police said.
He was headed east when he was struck by a northbound silver 2003 Chevy Cavalier, driven by 35-year-old Vanessa Murphy of Boynton Beach. Murphy was not injured, police said.
Boynton residents shared their devastation about Baxter’s death on social media Monday. Seeing Baxter on a lawn mower or exchanging a quick hello with him had been a regular occurrence.
Breze said neighbors hired him to mow their lawns.
“He was like our mascot for Boynton,” Breze said. “He’d go out of his way to help you and had a heart of gold. And if you were in a bad mood, he’d put you in a good one.”
Mike Chanley lived across the street from Baxter. Chanley said Baxter always asked him how his day was, or what he was eating for dinner.
“He was very caring. He said ‘hi’ to everybody,” Chanley said.
Every morning, Baxter walked a few feet from his house to Hoffmann and Nixon Air Conditioning to have coffee with the employees. He’d watch out for the business, too.
“He was like the neighborhood watchman,” said Peter Nixon, part owner.
Nixon was one of many having trouble understanding what could have happened Sunday.
“T h a t w a s n ’ t T i m my. H e wouldn’t just walk out . He’d always stop,” Nixon said.
Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call traffic homicide investigator Lawrence Rini at 561-732-8116 or Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 800-458-TIPS (8477).