A pre-dawn bike repair on State Road 70 turned tragic early Friday when a pickup truck struck and killed a 30-year-old Bradenton man who had stopped to work on his bicycle, according to Florida Highway Patrol troopers. The crash happened around 1:15 a.m. in the inside eastbound lane of SR 70 just east of 5th Street West. The rider was pronounced dead at the scene, and the truck driver was not injured.
According to Tampa Bay 28, which cited the Florida Highway Patrol, the vehicle involved was a Ram 5500 driven by a 59-year-old man from Dover. Troopers said the front of the truck struck the bicyclist and that the crash remains under investigation.
SR 70's safety record
According to the FDOT District 1 safety plan, stretches of SR 70 in Manatee County are part of the county's high-injury network, a designation that has prompted calls for engineering and enforcement changes. Local reporting has highlighted other deadly collisions on the corridor, including a December 2024 head-on crash detailed in a December head-on crash report.
Investigation
Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol say they are still investigating the circumstances of Friday's collision, and officials have not released the victim's name, pending notification of his family. Tampa Bay 28 reports that the truck driver was cooperative and unhurt, and authorities have not announced any charges.
