A ride in Bradenton yesterday turned deadly when a motorcycle and an SUV collided at the intersection of 5th Street East and 301 Boulevard East, leaving the rider fatally injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers said the crash happened at about 1:28 p.m. The SUV was heading north on 5th Street East and approaching the stop sign at 301 Boulevard East as the motorcycle traveled west along 301 Boulevard East toward the same intersection. According to Tampa Bay 28, the SUV moved into the motorcycle’s path, and the bike’s front end struck the right side of the SUV, overturning the motorcycle and throwing the rider onto the roadway.
The motorcyclist, a 63-year-old man, was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dead, as reported by WWSB. A 47-year-old passenger in the SUV sustained only minor injuries, and troopers say their investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Statewide context: Florida's motorcycle toll
Florida logs hundreds of motorcycle deaths every year, and state officials rely on a centralized database to keep track. The FLHSMV crash dashboard compiles the numbers troopers and safety agencies use to monitor patterns by county and season, a reminder of just how exposed riders are on everyday roads like 301 Boulevard East.
Troopers have not released the rider’s name, pending notification of his family. Early details on the collision were provided to local media by the Florida Highway Patrol as investigators processed the scene, according to WWSB.
