Two teenage pedestrians are in the hospital after being hit by a vehicle Wednesday evening in Port Charlotte. 15-year-old Oscar Ramirez of Port Charlotte and 18-year-old Eugene Rider of Parrish were walking with a group of friends along Loveland Avenue around 7:30pm when the incident occurred. Witnesses say the lack of sidewalks and street lighting contributed to the collision, which occurred only minutes after another near-miss with another vehicle. Ramirez was flown to Bayfront Medical in critical condition while Rider was taken to Fawcett Memorial in serious condition. The group was walking to a nearby recreation center. Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
