Widow urges drivers to be cautious

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Elizabeth Hannahan was still groggy Tuesday morning when

she heard sirens while making coffee.

Little did she know, less than a block away from their home, her

husband, Peter, was being lifted into an ambulance after a terrible

accident.

Less than an hour later, Peter Hannahan, 43, was dead.

“I couldn’t believe it. I just stood there. I heard the words but they

weren’t making any sense,” Elizabeth Hannahan said.

Peter Hannahan was crossing Harbor Boulevard at Merrimac Way at 6:05

a.m. when he was hit by a small, brown truck, police said. He was

transported to Hoag Hospital where he died from massive internal

bleeding, said David Ralsten of the Orange County Coroner’s Office.

It was in the sterile hospital room where Elizabeth Hannahan last saw

her husband of 14 years. It was such a contrast to the man who had given

her an enthusiastic kiss goodbye as he left for work.

“See you later,” Peter had told her.

Peter Hannahan was born in Kansas City, but moved to Costa Mesa when

he was 3. He lived in the city for 40 years, except for a brief stint in

Newport Beach.

“He loved it here. That’s why he never left,” Elizabeth said.

It was in a Costa Mesa hair salon where the two met each other.

Elizabeth was a hair stylist and Peter Hannahan her client for four

months before asking her on a date. Within three months, the couple was

married.

Hannahan worked on an assembly line at Goodwill Industries in Santa

Ana, where he was headed that morning.

A 40-year-old Costa Mesa man was allegedly driving the truck, but has

not been arrested or cited, Costa Mesa Police Sgt. Don Holford said.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident but have ruled out

excessive speeding. Hannahan was in the crosswalk when he was struck.

Elizabeth Hannahan thinks the driver simply was not paying attention.

“At 6 a.m. it’s still really early. People are still tired and the sun

is barely out,” she said. “If anything, people just need to pay more

attention when they are driving.”

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joachim

Catholic Church, 1964 Orange Ave.