3 injured in crash on Interstate 275

One motorcyclist crashed Tuesday on Interstate 275 after turning around to watch another motorcyclist who had rammed the back of a car, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The result? Minor injuries for all drivers - and a 45-minute shutdown of all
southbound lanes near the Pasco-Hillsborough county line. The two motorcyclists
were driving south on I-275 at a high speed when they tried to pass a Ford Focus, troopers said. The motorcycle driven by Adam J. Clark, 22, of Port Richey hit the back of the Ford, which lost control and hit a concrete wall. The second motorcyclist, Benjamin C.Wigen, 21, of Lutz, turned back to look at the crash- and overturned.
Clark, Wigen and the car's driver, Christopher Tichanuk, 28, of Wesley Chapel were
taken to St. Joseph's Hospital with minor injuries.
St Petersburg Times
Pinellas County

Motorcycle Crash Injures Two

A Lee man and a Madison woman were seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Suwannee County on Sunday, May 15. According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, Randall Scott, 53, of
Suwanee, and his passenger, Retta Raggins, 49, of Madison, were flown by helicopter to Shands in Gainesville with serious injuries.
The wreck occurred in the southern part of Suwannee County.

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc

Madison County Carrier
May 25, 2011

Man in critical condition after motorcycle crash

A Pensacola man was in critical condition after crashing his motorcycle Monday on Interstatee
110 south of Maxwell Street. Jeremy J. Jones, 28, was taken to Baptist Hospital after the accident at 6:30 p.m., according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Jones, who was wearing a helmet, was traveling southbound on I-110 in the inside lane, the FHP report said. For unknown reasons,
he lost control of his Kawasaki, striking a concrete bridge barrier on the east shoulder, the
FHP said. The cause is under investigation.

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.

"One dead after motorcyclists collide on U.S. 19"

TARPON SPRINGS — If you ask anyone in the local cadre of motorcyclists in New Port Richey, they'd tell you James Perrini was one of their brothers.
"He'd take the shirt off his back if you needed it," said friend and colleague Andrew Mackay.
Perrini, owner of Chickies Pub and a member of the Suncoast Brotherhood Biker Rights Group, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Tarpon Springs late Tuesday night.
According to friends, the 68-year-old motorcyclist was returning from a friend's birthday celebration at Stix Billiards in Palm Harbor with three other motorcyclists, who also were injured in the crash.
Perrini was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Police are not releasing the names of the injured due to an ongoing investigation. Authorities suspect that the accident may be alcohol-related.
A 38-year-old man and 41-year-old woman, riding a 2004 Harley-Davidson, were critically injured and taken by helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.
On Wednesday afternoon the man was in critical condition and the woman in serious condition.
An unidentified 50-year-old man from Dunedin, also riding a 2004 Harley-Davidson, suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
Police said the crash happened about 11:17 p.m. Tuesday in the northbound lanes of U.S. 19 near Tookes Road in Tarpon Springs. Perrini struck the rear of the motorcycle operated by the man from Dunedin. The crash then caused the operator of the third motorcycle to lose control and both occupants were thrown off the bike.
None of the motorcyclists were wearing helmets.
Megan Walling, a bartender at Chickies who has known Perrini for seven years, said that besides his dedication to the biker community, he loved to help children.
Mackay echoed her thoughts.
"Toy runs, benefits, you name it," he said. "Every week."
Perrini would often host charity events at Chickies. Most recently, he hosted a fundraiser for Horse Connections, a therapeutic horsemanship program for people with disabilities.
Mackay said the mood at the bar was somber Wednesday.
"He's one missed man," he said.


for more information please visit: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/one-dead-after-motorcyclists-collide-on-us-19/1157636

"Clearwater man dies after motorcycle hits truck"

CLEARWATER — Gary Kitchen was riding his black Harley-Davidson motorcycle home from a dental appointment Thursday when, somehow, he lost control.

His wife, Cathy, had kissed him goodbye that morning, like every day she went to work.

"He's a homebody," she said of her husband of nearly 35 years, who couldn't work due to a medical condition.

But on Thursday, Kitchen never made it home.

The 55-year-old Clearwater resident died Thursday morning after he crashed his bike into the back of a semitrailer truck on Sunset Point Road near the intersection of Stetson Drive.

According to police, about 9:50 a.m. the truck was traveling westbound on Sunset Point Road in the median lane and attempted to make a right turn into the back lot of the Publix plaza at 1921 N Belcher Road. Because of the length of the truck, the driver made a wide turn into the driveway, police said.

Kitchen was traveling westbound in the curb lane when the truck began to turn into the parking lot. Police said he tried to speed up and pass, shifting to the median lane to avoid the truck. He lost control and was ejected from the bike.

He died at the scene.

Nearby resident Joe Hodge, 65, of Clearwater was taking his garbage out when he heard tires squealing. He saw Kitchen braking and sliding before crashing into the truck and being thrown underneath its rear left tires.

Hodge rushed inside to tell his wife to call 911.

"There's been a terrible accident," he said.

As police investigated, the semitrailer remained where it had stopped, angled and half in the street. The turn signal kept blinking.

Police closed Sunset Point Road between Belcher Road and Old Coachman Road in both directions for much of the morning and early afternoon to investigate. By 2:30 p.m., the road was open.

Cathy Kitchen, 55, who had been with Gary since they were both 15 years old, said he had ridden motorcycles since he was 13.

"He loved his motorcycle, and he loved riding," she said.

They would often ride together, taking short trips to nearby small cities, but never going too far.

She said the accident comes just shy of a milestone.

"Next week was our 36th anniversary," she said.

for more information please visit: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/clearwater-man-dies-after-motorcycle-hits-truck/1154989

"Pasco man dies after motorcycle crash in Brooksville"

A 57-year-old New Port Richey man died Thursday after suffering injuries in a motorcycle crash near downtown Brooksville on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Steven L. Millard was traveling west on E Jefferson Street near Asmara Street at about 4 p.m. when he lost control trying to negotiate a turn, according to the Brooksville Police Department. Millard left the roadway, struck a street sign and was thrown from the motorcycle.

He was flown to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa with serious injuries. The cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma, police said.

An investigation continued Thursday afternoon.

For more information please visit: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/pasco-man-dies-after-motorcycle-crash-in-brooksville/1155080

"DeLand motorcyclist killed after car pulls out in front of him, troopers say"

A DeLand man riding a motorcycle was killed tonight when a car pulled out in front of him, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

John Henshaw, 68, was riding his Harley-Davidson north on Woodland Boulevard about 7:35 p.m. when a Mercury sedan on Woodland drove into his path at Robinhood Drive, trooper said.

Henshaw struck the side of the car and was killed. The other driver, Timothy Ackley, 18, of DeLand, was taken to the Florida Hospital DeLand for minor injuries.

A 16-year-old passenger in the Mercury, Jarred Hill of Deland, also had minor injuries, the FHP said.

For more information please visit: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/volusia/os-deland-motorcycle-death-20110303,0,3650602.story

"Two Killed When Motorcycles Collide"

Authorities said two people died after a pair of motorcycles crashed into each other.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the drivers of both motorcycles were trying to avoid hitting a trailer-toting truck in front of them and they ended up colliding. FHP identified the victims of Saturday night's crash as 48-year-old Kevin Winne of Winter Springs, who was one of the motorcycle drivers, and 46-year-old Teresa Madden of Oviedo, who was a passenger on the other motorcycle.

Authorities are still investigating and charges are pending.

For more information please visit: http://www.theledger.com/article/20110306/NEWS/103065039/1018/sports?Title=-geneva-

"Motorcyclist killed in Suwannee crash"

Live Oak — A Lake City man died early Saturday in a Suwannee County motorcycle crash, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Robert Stone Grice, 28, was traveling northeast on CR 250 at 12:10 a.m. when his 1999 Honda entered the right shoulder after failing to negotiate a left curve, according to FHP. The left handlebar clipped an informational sign post, after which the motorcycle overturned and struck a wire fence.

Grice, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene, said FHP.

For more information please visit: http://suwanneedemocrat.com/suwannee/x831627936/Motorcyclist-killed-in-Suwannee-crash

Funeral held for Clermont police officer killed in motorcycle crash

The funeral for Clermont police Officer Robert Sayers at Celebration Praise Church is over and a large contingent of law-enforcement officers will lead a procession to Oakhill Cemetery, where Sayers will be buried.

Sayers was killed Sept. 9 after crashing his motorcycle while returning to his home in Spring Hill.

A reception will be held later at Jenkins Auditorium, 691 W. Montrose St.

Sayers, 39, who lived with his wife, Sarah, and two young boys, was driving home from work, heading west on State Road 50 at about 4:30 pm Sept. 16 on his 2006 Triumph motorcycle when the crash occurred. A 2004 Volkswagen Golf in front of Sayers stopped behind a school bus at a sharp bend of the road near County Road 757, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Sayers' motorcycle then struck the rear of the Volkswagen.

The driver of the Golf had minor injuries.

Sayers was a two-year veteran of the department, hired in July 2007 straight out of the police academy. A native of Great Britain, Sayers lived in southern England before moving to the United States in 1998, police said.

For more information please visit: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-lake-clermont-officer-funeral-091809,0,2177763.story

If you've been involved in a motorcycle accident please call our office 24/7 for a free case evaluation. 1-866-LAW-FRAN - for more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com

A Clermont officer was killed in a motorcycle crash while on his way home from work

The Florida Highway Patrol said that 39-year-old Robert Sayers was riding his own motorcycle when the crash occurred near the intersection of State Road 50 and County Road 757.

That's when troopers say Sayers crashed into a car that had stopped for a school bus.

Nobody else was injured in the crash, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

For more information please visit: http://www.wesh.com/news/20824593/detail.html

If you've been involved in a motorcycle accident please call our office 24/7 for a free case evaluation. 1-866-LAW-FRAN - for more information please visit http://www.lawfran.com

A crash involving two motorcycles in Flagler County left an Ohio man hospitalized in serious condition

Kent Bundenthal, 48, was airlifted to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach after the 7:30 p.m. wreck Saturday, troopers said. A nursing supervisor said he was in serious but stable condition Sunday afternoon.

The accident occurred at the intersection of State Road 100 and Old Kings Road when Christopher Keohane, 21, Daytona Beach, who was heading west, slowed for a yellow traffic signal. Bundenthal, who was on a motorcycle behind Keohane, didn't see the bike slowing for the light, troopers said.

Bundenthal rear-ended Keohane, causing both bikes to overturn. Keohane suffered only minor injuries. Neither man was wearing a helmet, the FHP said.

Alcohol was not thought to be a factor in the crash.

For more information please visit: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Local/newFLAG01082409.htm