A 56-year-old cyclist and Palm Coast resident was struck and killed by a vehicle on Palm Coast Parkway and Leanni Way, near the Flagler County Public Library, shortly after midnight this morning. The vehicle kept going.
The exact moment of the crash isn’t known. It was reported to authorities by a man who saw the victim on the side of the road, unresponsive, next to the bicycle, just after half-past midnight. A Florida Highway Patrol report states the hit-and-run suspect was traveling west on Palm Coast Parkway just east of Leanni Way. The cyclist was attempting to cross the parkway, going north.
“The suspect vehicle is possibly a black van and will have damage to its right front, right fender and to the right side of the windshield Anyone with any information on the suspect vehicle or the driver please contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office [(386) 437-4116] or *FHP.”
An emergency helicopter was briefly placed on standby, but the victim, whose name has not been released, was pronounced deceased at the scene by a paramedic. A be-on-the-lookout advisory was issued across the county and to surrounding counties. Authorities may have a witness to the crash. But they also have traffic camera footage aiding in the investigation, and within a few hours appeared to have narrowed the search to a particular suspect, who was interviewed early this morning.
The Palm Coast Fire Police regulated traffic after the response to the scene by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the Palm Coast Fire Department and Flagler County Fire Rescue. The cyclist’s death is the eighth fatality on Flagler or Palm Coast roads this year, the third in a row involving a cyclist or a motorcyclist. Five of the eight fatalities involved either a cyclist or a motorcyclist. A sixth–a motorcyclist from Palm Coast–was killed in Ormond Beach just south of the county line.
Me says
Very sad. RIP to the victim. Maybe City of PC Officials instead of approving more homes and shopping malls to be built and left empty they will think about better lighting on the streets of Palm Coast.
obeystherulesoftheroad says
I feel so sorry for this victim! I literally had just seen a man on a bike almost get cremated by a woman at the corner of Belle Terre and Royal Palms. The gentleman on the bike was legally crossing the street in the crosswalk, headed from east to west on Royal Palms, when this woman comes careening from the east on Royal Palms turning left on Belle Terre headed south not even looking for pedestrians in the crosswalk. I had a clear view as I was waiting for the light to change (at the corner of Royal Palms and Belle Terre headed east). My passenger and I both started screaming as we could see that the gentleman on the bike was about to get hit by this car going at least 35 mph around that corner! I just envisioned him flying up over the hood of her car and I also envisioned her not stopping, which seems to happen very frequently around here!!! BUT, I do believe that some sort of divine intervention occurred. The gentleman seemed to catch a view of the car in his peripheral vision and in the most adept move I have ever witnessed, he jumped off of his bike and tossed his bike backward at the same time, thus saving himself and his bike. And do you think the woman even turned to look or even acknowledge what she had done?? Heck no! She just kept zooming on down the road. The poor guy was standing there shell shocked and yelling at her (I can just imagine what he was saying!) as we were screaming in amazement at what had just transpired. Now I don’t know what your belief system is, but I believe there was some divine intervention done to enable this gentleman to do the physical feat that he performed. Wow! The whole jist of this is that I have viewed more insane driving in the past week than ever! And accidents and pile ups everywhere. Slow down people and pedestrians, bike riders, and motorcyclists are everywhere and no one is in that big of a hurry that they can’t break for a few minutes. No life lost is worth it! Obey the traffic laws!
Jimbo99 says
Not intended as a victim blame, but nobody needs to be out riding a bicycle at midnight. Must’ve been pretty cold out at that hour too. Safety tip, give the sun time to rise in the East and don’t be out there closer to sunset when the sun would blind a motorist. Cyclist may be able to see better at those times, but a motorist is quite often blinded by a sunrise or sunset. Ride to live, live to ride another day.
Flatsflyer says
Based on the time of the accident, I wonder if one or both where under the influence of alcohol. Was the cyclist crossing against a light, did the cyclist have lights on his bike, was the vehicle driver speeding? Bottom line the driver of the van left the scene but it sounds like there could have been fault on both parties? I encounter people on bikes almost daily on Old Kings Road, no bike lanes and cars coming from the other direction always swerve into the wrong lane. The FCSO really needs to get it’s hands around the major problem
Michael Cocchiola says
It’s is so disturbing and so sad that far too many drivers – particularly in Florida – lack the honor, the courage, and the empathy to stop and render aid to someone they hit. It does appear that escape is the predominant reaction when you know you hit a human. Maybe these drivers and too frightened or too confused to stop. but they are surely too cruel.
I hope their guilty consciences drive them mad.
Jimbo99 says
On those East-West roads if this happens at sunrise or sunset, too often motorists may be blinded by the sun as they drive into it. And there’s a period of time that the sun hasn’t risen or set enough to also be blinding. Trying to block out the sun with the pillar of the windshield and that’s a front windshield blind spot. Nobody should assume because they saw a motorist, that the motorist ever saw them. With the pillar of the windshield, at a certain speed & distance approaching a pedestrian, cyclist or even another motor vehicle, anything is not detectable in the moving blind spot. Only cross when certain the motorist is decelerating or braking and coming to a stop.
Another tip, be on the side of the road that a cyclist is supposed to be on & moving with traffic. Too often a motorist assumes the right turn and never comes to a complete stop. Their head is turned to the left looking for traffic and not even looking for pedestrians & cyclists at the corner. On Belle Terre or really any roadway in Flagler county, the bike path & sidewalks at every corner that intersects with a side street is a hazardous situation. Riding south towards FL 100 on the side of the Northbound for motorist lanes is a bike path. The other side has a sidewalk as well. salmoning into traffic, those making right turns onto Belle Terre out of the residential streets automatically assume that rolling right turn. I don’t cross that intersection until I’ve made eye contact with a motorist. Which means I rarely go until the motorists have made their right turn, because a lot of them don’t even look to the left for pedestrians & bicycles. Even if the motorist stops after hitting another, that’s of little consequence really, a car will crush a pedestrian or bicyclist in a slower moving accident even.
obeystherulesoftheroad says
This was not a “blinding” caused by the sun situation. It was an overcast day. The bicycle rider I was describing was on the bike/hiker trail going down Royal Palms from east to west. I watched the people in the crosswalk diligently and one person (another potential victim) had passed the median heading east and the bicycle rider, heading west slowed to let them by, which is what probably saved his life. The woman driver did not even glance in that direction as she sped around that corner. That man truly had an “angel” on his shoulder that day.
beachlover says
I already hear that the driver say that they thought they hit a deer or dog…
William6814 says
This was my father. He was riding into the night to get water for the house he was staying at. He had no water at the house he was staying at and his bike was his only way of transportation. It’s not fair to say some people shouldn’t be out at night. As human being we all do things at different times of day. We also NEED to do things at different times of day as he did. Who ever did this murdered my father with a van without out a care in the world.
Geezer says
People who flee from accidents from fear, then self-report later on, do possess a conscience.
But you have people that are devoid of a conscience and rationalize that it’s the victim’s fault anyway,
reflexively decide to flee, and pray to never be discovered.
I hope that the fear of being exposed somehow, someway, haunts these bastards for a long time.
A lot of people just simply suck…
Jimbo99 says
Royal Palms Parkway (RPP) & Belle Terre can be very dangerous. I’ve seen too many make the right turn onto Belle Terre and drive thru the grass to even do that, instead of waiting for the light to change. Traffic incidents like that are going to become even more prevalent in Flagler county as it continues to grow. With the population growth, the alcohol & drug abuse issues, the solution may just be to avoid certain intersectional locations. At the Town Center Parkway end of RPP, they’re proposing residential and that 3 way intersection has no traffic light or even a roundabout.
Karen Bivone says
May he RIP prayers to the family.
Robert Nema says
this was my brother in law and he had every right to be out on a public street, people who work at night can’t control the sun.
Chaney says
NO….this is ALL on the driver of the vehicle and this so called “human being” driving the van or automobile should have stopped….PERIOD.
Brody Pignataro says
He was my uncle :(
Brody Pignataro says
Hes my uncle, I found out he needed to get water, his water because was shut off. Something like that
Jey stone says
“Particularly in Florida “ the top 4 most populated states account for the most hit and runs . Florida being third most populated is third in hit and runs California is second most populated and first hit and runs Texas fourth most populated second hit and runs New York most populated fourth hit and runs. As far as size of states Texas , California, Florida , New York.. statistically Florida bares no more or less particular predisposition for fatal hit and run accidents. Sadly though it occurred Palm Coast our home .
Chaney says
The issue here and bottom line is…the driver of the vehicle did not stop. This so called “person” knew he (or possibly a she) hit someone and did not stop. It’s a hit and run and therefore the driver of the vehicle deserves jail time…and years of it.
Shark says
Why can’t FCSO investigate fatal accidents – there sure are enough of them
Anne says
I am so deeply sorry for your loss William6814 :-( and agree completely with everything u said. peace & love
Anon says
Really hope this isnt who i think it is rip whoever victim is so sad ugh
flatsflyer says
Amazing, someone had their water turned off and 3 or 4 relatives Post here stating their family relationships, yet not one stepped up to help him through the difficult times he was facing. WHY.
Chaney says
Obviously you do NOT know all the facts and details of the situation…to include those of the relatives that posted here. The 2 issues here are….ONE… that someone is a victim of a hit and run by a so called human being that did not stop…and TWO… Rest In Peace to the man tragically killed and condolences to the family during this EXTREMELY difficult time.
Marc Ribaudo says
People are heartless. He didn’t deserve to be left in the middle of the road to die. If they stopped, maybe if they checked, he’d be alive today. Obviously CW if they we’re NJ friends they’d understand. People who grew up amongst one another and we are fiercely loyal just because of where we came from. I don’t care what they thought they might have hit. You at the very least check!Dude I can’t believe these comments on here. I’m done.
Chaney says
I’m not surprised by some of these comments because it’s typical of how MOST people are…making judgmental generalities without knowing the people involved and especially not knowing the true facts of it all. I’ll say it again….bottom line…you hit someone with your vehicle you stop. And I don’t want to hear “oh I thought it was a dog or an animal or a deer” crap. Even then you still stop….PERIOD!!!!!
Lisa Finlay says
😢😔🙏💔 my Brother … I’m baby sister😢They will pay full Penalty for not stopping. … PERIOD!😡 you can lie and hide. We won’t rest till we got you. PERIOD! End of story 🙏
Chaney says
Yes…you are his baby sister…and he was a kindhearted person like you said…and I know you loved him. He will surely be missed…and I know he is looking down on you.
And yes…the “person” that did this is a NO GOOD person and will pay to the full extent of the law. Anyone that does something like this and/or disrespects the victim and the victim’s family during this very difficult time is a NO GOOD person.
May he Rest In Peace