PANAMA CITY BEACH -- Longtime Panama City resident and community leader Julian Bennett, 84, was critically injured Friday afternoon in a crash in Panama City Beach.
Bennett, 84, was driving his car eastbound on Hutchison Boulevard about 12:30 p.m. when he struck a car traveling southbound on Alf Coleman Road, according to a Panama City Beach police incident report. Both vehicles were entering the intersection at the same time. Natasha Turner, the 26-year-old driver of the vehicle struck by Bennett, was apparently not injured. Bennett was leaving lunch with two of his sons when the crash occurred. Further details on the incident were not immediately available.
Bennett, who was Bay County’s School Board attorney for about 20 years and owns several local establishments, including Sharkey’s and the old Mark IV hotel, was taken to the intensive care unit at Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart Health Center. He was initially in critical condition, but was later upgraded to stable condition, his son Michael Bennett said late Friday afternoon. Michael Bennett said his father received stitches for a head injury because he took a “pretty good whack” in the crash.
“His vitals are good,” Michael Bennett said. “We haven’t seen the x-rays yet. He’s still unconscious, and that’s the only thing worrying us. We’re all praying for him.”
In January, Bennett received the Bay County Chamber of Commerce’s highest honor, the Lauren Merriam Memorial Award. Contacted by phone Friday, Bay County Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Carol Roberts said news of the crash left her “speechless.”
“Mr. Bennett has been such a valuable part of this community and has given his time especially in the field of education,” she said. “My entire career I’ve listened to Mr. Bennett. … He’s always had a passion for kids and our education system.”