The Upper Keys witnessed its second fatal accident in a span of a week on Friday evening, when a truck hit and killed a bicyclist who was trying to cross the road near Snake Creek Bridge in Islamorada.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 59-year-old male riding on an electric motorized bike was traveling north on the east side of U.S. 1. A pickup truck was heading south on U.S. 1 approaching the electric bike on the south end of Snake Creek Bridge.
Per an accident report, the bicyclist began to head in a northwesterly direction across U.S. 1, entering the southbound lane and into the pickup truck’s path. As a result, the pickup truck driven by a 70-year-old male, struck the right side of the electric bike. The man on the bike, who wasn’t named, died of his injuries.
U.S. 1 lanes were shut down for a period as first responders arrived on scene to render aid and investigate the cause of the crash. Heavy traffic backups persisted throughout the evening as vehicles rode past the scene on the highway’s shoulders.
FHP said they’re working to notify the 59-year-old male’s next of kin. It’s unknown whether alcohol was a factor in the crash. FHP said charges are still pending.
Friday’s fatal accident is the second such incident seen in the Upper Keys this week. On Feb. 13, a trooper driving south on U.S. 1 near Mile Marker 98 in Key Largo struck and killed a female pedestrian who was attempting to cross the highway. Southbound lanes were closed for a majority of the afternoon as FHP investigated the crash.
The names of the trooper and the female involved in the crash haven’t been released. That investigation continues.
