A 76-year-old cyclist riding up Belle Terre late Wednesday morning was struck by an SUV and pinned under the car until paramedics were able to lift the car, tend to him and evacuate him by air. The cyclist had traumatic injuries, but was alive when he was taken away from the scene.
Blood spots were visible beneath the right-front wheel of the Toyota SUV.
The victim is Calvin Pinero of Palm Coast. The driver of the SUV is Antoinette Mary Ulmer, 67, of Palm Coast. She was not at fault, a Florida Highway Patrol investigator said.
The wreck took place at 10:45 at the intersection of Cypress Point Parkway and Belle Terre, closing that stretch of Belle Terre (southbound) from Palm Coast Parkway. The segment of road, in the heart of Palm Coast, remained closed until 11:35 a.m. as a Florida Highway Patrol investigator works the scene.
The cyclist was taken away from the scene at 11:22 by ambulance, to Flagler County Fire Flight, for evacuation to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach. Fire Flight’s landing zone was Cypress Edge Drive, around the city hall offices. The drive was of course closed to traffic during the landing and take-off.
The FHP investigator stressed that it was Pinero who did not follow the rules of the road, having failed to stop and give the right of way to vehicles driving out of Victoria Plaza. “That’s what happened,” the investigator said, referring to frequent incidents where he sees the same pattern. “The bikes are supposed to abide by the signs just like the pedestrians. They don’t.”
“He’s supposed to yield,” the investigator said of Pinero, who suffered “a severe leg injury,” but is expected to survive.
He added: “If these bikes are going to utilize the sidewalks, they’re going to have to abide by the same laws as pedestrians. If they’re going to use the roadways, then they have to abide by the same laws as motor vehicles do.”
Jonathan Shepard, a 16-year-old student at Flagler Institute of Technology, was riding his own bike, going south on Belle Terre, oppisite the same side as Pinero, who was riding north. Shepard stopped at the intersection with Cypress Point. He was listening to music and said he was “in my own little world,” but he remembers seeing the pedestrian sign being red, not white. He then saw Pinero edge into the road, and the driver of the SUV begin to make her turn, left onto Belle Terre, from the driveway that leads to the Kangaroo station.
“He tried to get around her, she was going really slow,” Shepard said. “She didn’t like, hit him very hard, it was kind of a gradual, lose your balance type of thing.” But at first it appeared as if Ulmer, who was at the wheel of a Toyota SR5, was not aware she had struck the cyclist, Shepard said. “She just kept going and every single, and everyone from every angle was like, stop, stop and she wasn’t payiong attention.”
Another woman Rushed to Pinero’s rescue, holding his hands, reassuring him, “it’s going to be OK, it’s going to be OK.”
Shepard said: “I thought he was dead at first because he just wasn’t moving at all.”
Pinero’s shades and watch had fallen at the point of collision, about six feet past the walking stripes.
The wreck was the latest in a series of accidents in Palm Coast or Flagler County this year involving cyclist or bicyclists, four of whom were killed.
“I went over to Kangaroo, I was trying to call somebody,” Shepard said describing his state of mind after the wreck, “I was just wanting to hear comfort because I’d never seen something like that before and I hope I never do again.”
markingthedays says
Hate to say it, but it sounds as if the cyclist wasn’t obeying the rules of the road in this case. I could be wrong.
Deep South says
Bicycles are considered motor vehicles and must abide to all the laws of the roads. Also, please wear a bike helmet. Perhaps bicyclist should be required to take a road test and carry a license, just like motorist. Speedy recovery Calvin Pinero.
Bunnell Resident says
Good job to all the emergency responders who took care of this man. Glad we have them all. Prayers to Mr. Pinero for a speedy recovery. Also, to MS Ulmer, hope she does well after going through such an emotional experience. If Mr. Ponero was at fault as it appears he was, please don’t persecute him on here. His injuries are more than enough to suffer for making a mistake.
David R Campbell says
Thanks for your comment Bunnell Resident.
The last part says it all.
confidential says
Is also a case of looking both sides before a driver proceeds even with green light. I do it all the time to make sure that an unexpected pedestrian, jogger, cyclist or squirrel appears in the way of my car as for sure “I always yield to them” with any color light, because they have no protection against my car.
I remember in the late 70’s on a corner of Marina del Rey in LA California, at midday while taking a walk enjoying the beautiful area, I got a little late to the green pedestrian light in the corner, so waited for it to get green again standing there, so waited as well a gentleman driving a silver Mercedes when he had green light and didn’t proceed, I glanced at the driver and he took his head out the window and said “I will proceed once you went across the intersection mam”. So he did after I crossed. Later on the day some local friend told me that was common practice in the area to yield to pedestrians as laws and insurance were very tough if a driver hurt anyone walking the streets. But that was LA in CA and the late 70’s,maybe no more. I have always kept that fresh memory and yield to the most vulnerable that wave back and smile afterwards
Nick says
There we 2 mistakes made by the driver
1). A turn signal must be used
2). A head check must be done at least Left
Right Left.
If these were completed there would not have
Been an accident, period.
The driver of the SUV is totally at fault
For not possessing Defensive Driver Skills.
Drivers like this should not be on the road unless
They have the skills to avoid situations like this.
r&r says
Bunnell. Great response. Some people will kick you when you’re down..
Nancy N. says
So let me get this straight…a vehicle runs a red light and gets involved in an accident, and it’s somehow the other driver’s complete fault just for not seeing in time that that vehicle was doing something stupid and illegal?
Wow, I guess I’ll just start running red lights and if I hit someone I’ll just tell the cop that it’s the other person’s fault for not getting out of my way. That’ll get me out of a ticket for sure! Thanks!
D'Yonce says
This is my grandfather I can understand that maybe he was wrong but we cannot possibly put full blame on him I would rather say it was half and half no one knows what he went through those past weeks after the accident he wouldn’t even leave the house we went by the accident area and we still saw blood spots days later and he instantly became uncomfortable he is better now but don’t make it as if full blame is on him thank you