Bicyclist critically hurt in crash on U.S. 441 near Micanopy

A bike rider from New Jersey was critically injured Monday afternoon after going through the windshield of a Honda Civic on U.S. 441. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Jayne Henry, 54, was apparently on her way back to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park — where she had been earlier in the day — when she pulled in front of a Honda Civic on U.S. 441. Trooper Richard Crawford said Henry was headed south in the bike lane alongside U.S. 441. As Henry approached the left turn lane for the park entrance on Savannah Road, “She traveled across both southbound lanes directly in front [of the Honda], which caused the left side of the bicycle to collide with the right front of the [Honda],” Crawford wrote in a report on the accident. Following the impact, Henry became airborne and went through the windshield of the car, Crawford said. The car was being driven by April Ford, 19, of Summerfield. Ford and her passenger, Shaquita James, 18, were not physically injured, according to FHP, but were badly shaken by the accident. Henry was airlifted to Shands at the University of Florida in extremely critical condition with life-threatening injuries. The four-lane highway was closed briefly following the 3:45 p.m. accident to allow the Shands helicopter to land. Then one lane of the highway was opened in each direction to give troopers and others time and space to investigate the physical evidence at the scene. All four lanes of the highway had been reopened by sunset, troopers said. for more information please visit: http://www.ocala.com/article/20110411/articles/110419954

Seven people injured in night of motorcycle crashes

Seven people injured in night of motorcycle crashes

PINELLAS PARK-There was a lot of mayhem involving motorcycles in the area around U.S.19 and 49th Street in Pinellas Park Wednesday night.

A series of incidents involving eight motorcyclists resulted in seven people being injured –six of them motorcyclists. Police said one of the motorcyclists suffered life-threatening injuries; everyone else involved in the incidents is expected to recover.

The incidents took place within about an hour and shut down parts of U.S.19 and 49th Street Wednesday night.

In the first, at 9 p.m. in the 12100 block of 49th Street, police said three motorcycles were speeding north when one of the riders, Pablo Quintana, 20, of Tarpon Springs, struck the back of a 2001 Lincoln that had just made a U-tum

Quintana, who was thrown 200 feet, suffered serious injuries but is expected to recover.

The driver of the Lincoln, Larhonda Robinson, 17, of Pinellas Park, was treated for minor injuries.

The other two motorcycles were laid down by their riders, Sven Desouza, 36, of Cleanl'ater, and Mikhail Lochan, 19, of Hud­son. Lochan suffered serious injuries, police said, but is expected to recover. Desouza, who slid about 250 feet, was treated at a hospital for a concussion and road rash, and then was released, police said.

All three motorcyclists were wearing helmets, police said. An investigation is ongoing and police have not yet determined whether charges will be filed.

A second serious motorcycle crash occurred about an hour later as authorities investigated two other minor incidents - both also involving motorcycles in the 12500 block of U.S.19 at about 9:40 p.m., Florida Highway Patrol troopers were summoned to that area to investigate an incident in which a car struck a metal object in the road that was then thrown into a motorcycle. The object disabled both the car and motorcycle.

As traffic slowed, another motorcyclist ran into the back of a car. No one was injured in either incident. But, as troopers investigated the two incidents, three motor­cyclists drove by. One of them, Pedro Manuel Perez, 50, of Palm Harbor, ran into the rear of a motorcycle driven by Randall Dean Shoudt, 44, of Clearwa­ ter. Perez was looking at the initial crash scenes when he hit Shoudt's bike, police said. Both Perez and Shoudt fell onto the road. That's when the third motorcycle, driven by Anthony Francese, 67, of Shrewsbury, Mass., slid into Perez. Francese had tried to stop his motorcycle, but could not and was thrown from the bike, police said. Perez suffered life-threatening injuries, police said, and was taken to Bayfront Medical Center. The hospital did not release his condition Thursday.

Shoudt and Francese suffered minor injurie.s and were treated at the scene.

Police said Perez and Shoudt were not wearing helmets. Francese was wearing a skull cap-like helmet, police said

Police say they are still investigating and deciding whether charge will be filed.

"Three cycling deaths in three weeks is three too many"

Three bicyclists have been killed during the past three weeks, all of them while pedaling on roads in our backyard.

Firefighter John Wilson was struck by an SUV in Jupiter on Feb. 7. He was 50 years old.

Two days later, cyclist Gary Zimmer was hit by a car while riding in a bike lane on the Jensen Beach Causeway. He was 67.

And last Friday morning, Nicholas Rybka, died after he was hit by an 83-year-old tour bus driver in Vero Beach. He was 21.

I wish I could say the deaths were an anomaly — but they are not. More people die on bikes in Florida than any other state in the country.

In 2009, 107 bicyclists died in traffic accidents in Florida, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's most recent data.

That's eight more deaths than California, which has double the population. Our state led the country in deaths in 2008, too,

"There's something seriously wrong in Florida," said John Goings, a Palm City resident and president of the Treasure Coast Cycling Association.

The main problem, he believes, is that motor-vehicle drivers aren't aware of the laws.

They don't know that state statutes require them to stay 3 feet away from cyclists when passing. They aren't aware that the law treats bicycles as vehicles that have a right to the road, too.

Goings logs about 150 miles a week on his bike. While he has never been hit by a car, he knows plenty of cyclists who have been.

John Mildenberger is among them. Road rash covered half of his face after a car struck him on the Stuart causeway in 2004.

"My bike was demolished under the car. Fortunately, I was launched over the hood," the 55-year-old told me. He was knocked unconscious, but avoided lasting injury.

Three years later, while biking in Port Salerno, he was hit again when a car turned into his path in the bike lane.

"My left hand took off their rear view mirror, and I went over the handlebars," said Mildenberger, a resident of Sewall's Point. He broke his collar bone that time.

And yet cyclists are demonized by some drivers.

"I've had people scream at me. The common one is, "Get off the road, get on the sidewalk!' " Mildenberger said.

A passerby once hurled a grapefruit at Goings' wife while she was on her bike. He's been given the "one finger salute" more than a few times himself.

Goings realizes it's difficult to enforce laws that protect cyclists, including the 3-foot rule. Unless police happen to witness a violation, it's difficult to prove.

Some cyclists have taken to wearing cameras on their helmets so they can document the most blatant of violations, Goings told me.

Mildenberger would like to see local law enforcement officers get more aggressive about enforcement. He would like more road signs urging drivers to watch for cyclists, too.

"Of course, we want all the bike lanes we can get — but we realize it costs money and takes time," said Mildenberger, who is a member of Martin County's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Not all cycling accidents are the fault of motor vehicle drivers. About half are the result of cyclists violating basic rules of the road, according to the Florida Bicycle Association.

But the other half? Those of us behind the wheel have a responsibility to prevent them.

For more information please visit: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/feb/28/eve-samples-three-cycling-deaths-in-three-weeks/