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.

"Motorcyclist Killed in Wreck Near Polk City"

POLK CITY | A Groveland man was killed early today when his motorcycle collided with a van that turned in front of him, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Randall K. Neavin, 48, was riding his 2001 Harley-Davidson south on State Road 33 near Double Diamond Road in Polk City about 5:10 a.m. when the accident occurred, according to a Sheriff's Office release.

Roberto Quinnes, 64, also of Groveland, was driving a 2000 Mazda MPV minivan south on SR 33 ahead of Neavin, the release said, and when Quinnes realized he had missed his turn, pulled off the right shoulder and then tried to make a U-turn.

Neavin came around a curve, saw the minivan and tried to stop, but he hit the driver's side door, the release said. He was wearing a helmet but died at the scene.

Quinnes wasn't injured, the release said.

The investigation is ongoing.

For more information please visit: http://www.theledger.com/article/20110304/NEWS/110309861/1410?Title=Motorcyclist-Killed-in-Wreck-Near-Polk-City

"Motorcycle, pickup strike different building along Jefferson Street"

BROOKSVILLE - Jessica Varner said she keeps the blinds down in her office because she got tired of seeing all the accidents taking place along West Jefferson Street.

The one that occurred Wednesday afternoon was only a few steps away from her desk, she said.

Shortly before 4 p.m., a white Dodge pickup truck smashed against the front portion of the office building at 303 W. Jefferson St., according to the Brooksville Police Department.

Varner, an administrative assistant at Combs Services Inc., said she heard a collision outside. As soon as she backed away from her desk, she heard a louder boom and felt the building shake.

"Everybody's OK," she said over the phone a half-hour after the crash. "There are some bumps and bruises."

Moments later, Stephen L. Miller, 55, of New Port Richey, crashed his motorcycle into a tire shop building at 1360 E. Jefferson St., said Brooksville Police Chief George Turner.

Miller was airlifted to a Tampa-area hospital.

"His injuries are very serious," Turner said.

Turner said a wrecker was called to the scene at Combs Service and a building inspector also would be summoned to review the damage.

The driver of the Dodge, who did not want to be identified, said she swerved off the road to avoid hitting a passing Mitsubishi SUV.

Police officers stayed for only a few minutes at the first accident before heading toward the other side of town to respond to the motorcycle wreck, Turner said.

Combs Service is an appliance repair shop located near the corner of South Bailey Avenue.

Varner said the truck didn't penetrate the wall, but "knocked it loose."

For more information please visit: http://www2.hernandotoday.com/content/2011/mar/02/021905/motorcycle-pickup-strike-different-buildings-along/