From staff reports

pnj.com

A Pensacola woman is hospitalized in stable condition after she was run over by a float in the Pensacola Christmas Parade Saturday night.

According to the Pensacola Police Department, Miriam Mims, 59, was at the head of the parade's line-up area, where floats enter Garden Street from Spring Street, and before the parade units reach the barricaded route, when the incident happened at about 5:40 p.m.

Officer Tony Garza said Mims stepped into the street to pick up a parade throw. It is believed that she was bumped from behind as she leaned over, falling into the path of a float that was northbound on Spring Street. The float was moving no faster than two miles per hour, according to Garza.

A safety walker with the float, David Chapman of Spanish Fort, Alabama, saw Mims fall into the path of the float's tires, and with the aid of Jimmy Fields, who attended the parade with Mims, was able to pull her upper body and head from the float's path. However, the tires still ran over her left torso.

The parade was delayed for about 30 minutes while emergency medical services responded. Garza said the incident remains under investigation.