A cyclist was pronounced dead Friday morning following a collision with a tanker truck in Fort Lauderdale. Police and Fire Rescue teams responded to the scene near the intersection of Las Olas Boulevard and Seabreeze Boulevard, close to Fort Lauderdale Beach, around 8 a.m., according to WSVN.
Witnesses describe the scene where the cyclist, whose identity was not immediately released, was struck and dragged several feet by the truck before the vehicle came to a stop. "The guy didn’t even realize he did it. One of the people from the marina had to run out and tell him to stop, so he didn’t even know he hit the guy," said Robert Norcini, a witness to the aftermath of the crash, in a statement obtained by WSVN. The closure of the adjoining roadways brought significant traffic disruptions to the downtown area for hours following the crash.
Details about how the collision occurred are sparse, but it's known that both eastbound lanes of the East Las Olas Bridge and southbound lanes of Seabreeze Boulevard were closed to traffic, causing major delays in the vicinity. This site was known to the locals as hazardous due to the frequent transit of heavy vehicles. Speaking to CBS News, Hunter Caldwell, a manager at Fishing Headquarters situated nearby, reflected on the numerous trucks he regularly sees in the area because of its vicinity to Port Everglades, stating: "We see tanker trucks, gas trucks, big 18-wheelers all the time so people just have to be careful making their way around here."
While the investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing and no fault has been legally determined, the truck driver, who remained at the scene and is cooperating with police, may face citations pending the outcome. "Everybody just remember to keep slow, you know, appreciate our lives," implored Kevin, another witness who experienced the scene firsthand, as reported by WSVN.
