Motorcyclist and Bicyclist Crash in Tampa, Both Riders Declared Dead
A grim, fatal accident that occurred in Tampa early in April has rattled residents and left people demanding that the mayor of the city begin implementing additional rules to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe. It started shortly before 11:00 in the morning on Saturday, April 4th, a time when many people were out walking along the promenade at Bayshore Boulevard, enjoying the chance to escape from the quarantine in their homes with a bit of sunshine, social distancing, and a sliver of normality. At this same time, at least three motorcyclists were traveling down Bayshore Boulevard’s northbound lanes, close to the stretch where people were walking.
Witnesses to the incident stated that one of the motorcyclists had popped their front wheel up and was speeding down the road on their back wheel only. The reports from witnesses also indicated that all three of the motorcyclists were traveling at a fairly advanced rate of speed, spreading a sense of alarm among the families out on foot.
A bicyclist in the area had reached an intersection of the promenade and Bayshore Boulevard and was attempting to use the crosswalk to get from one side of the street to the other. The area where the cyclist was attempting to cross was close to where Roma Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard intersect, but it is not believed that the cyclist was at the precise intersection of the two roads.
For reasons that are not clear, one of the three motorcyclists did not comprehend the presence of the person on the bicycle in the crosswalk. The reports did not indicate whether or not the cyclist had activated a pedestrian crossing signal or if there was otherwise a light governing the intersection. We do know that the individual on the motorcycle was not able to avoid the cyclist, while the cyclist for their part was not able to escape the fast-moving, oncoming motorcycle. The impact of the motorcycle against the cyclist caused both of the individuals to sustain severe injuries.
Emergency response crews rushed to the scene. The motorcyclist, an individual in their 30s, was pronounced dead shortly after EMTs and paramedics arrived. The biker, a person in their 50s, was alive and rushed to a nearby hospital. Sadly, they also succumbed to their injuries and were declared dead sometime after arriving at the emergency medical facility.
The incident resulted in an ongoing investigation by the Tampa Police Department.
Sources:
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.