UPDATE to the crash from last evening in Bartow:
The deceased bicyclist from the crash on US 17 near Bomber Rd has been positively identified as 70-year-old Titus Doyle, who was homeless in the Ybor City area. His next of kin has been notified.
Original PCSO Press Release:
PCSO Traffic Unit investigated a bicycle versus vehicle crash last evening in Bartow, during which the bicyclist was killed.
Preliminary information so far is as follows:
Around 12:30 a.m. on Friday, February 8, 2019, PCSO deputies responded to US 17 near Bomber Road in Bartow where a bicyclist was fatally struck by a silver Chrysler 200.
The driver of the car, 20-year-old Austin Wallace of Wauchula, was heading southbound on US 17 when he struck the bicycle, which was operating in the southbound lane, approximately 200 yards north of Bomber Road. Wallace stopped his car and remained on-scene.
The bicyclist was wearing dark clothing, and the bicycle is also black-colored. The bike has lights but it is unclear if they were working. Wallace told deputies that he did not see lights on the bike, and was unable to avoid striking it. The adult male victim appears to have been homeless. Deputies are still working to positively identify him, and notify his next of kin. He was an older gentleman.
Neither excessive speed, impairment, nor distraction on the part of the driver appear to be factors. The roadway in that area was closed for approximately 4 hours during the investigation. The investigation is ongoing.
