Main Menu

Lithia Pinecrest Road Crash Kills Motorcyclist

Police | Police Lights | Police Car

The motorcyclist was speeding and the other vehicle turned in front of it, according to the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY – A Plant City man died Sunday (July 16) of injuries he received when thrown from his bike during a crash on Lithia Pinecrest Road, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said.

Melvin Cline Ford Jr., 19, of Plant City, was taken to Lakeland Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The other driver, Leroy Newton Purk, 73, of Lithia, was taken to Tampa General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash happened about 1:33 p.m. at the intersection of Lithia Pinecrest and Allen Road.  Mr. Ford was riding his father’s 2001 Suzuki motorcycle west on Lithia Pinecrest approaching Allen at a high rate of speed, deputies said. Witnesses told deputies Mr. Ford passed them at speeds of 80 miles per hour to 100 miles per hour about a tenth of a mile from the crash site.

Purk was driving his 1998 Mazda Protege east on Lithia Pinecrest. Purk did not see the motorcycle and began to turn left in front of the bike, deputies said.

The motorcycle hit the passenger side of the Mazda, causing the car to spin and overturn onto its passenger side. Deputies said Mr. Ford, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown from the motorcycle.

For information about the Hillsborough sheriff, go to hcso.tampa.fl.us.

Hillsborough Sheriff | Melvin Cline Ford Jr. | Motorcyclist Dies | Motorcycle Crash | Tampa Bay News | TB Reporter

#HillsboroughSheriff #MelvinClineFordJr #MotorcyclistDies #MotorcycleCrash #TampaBayNews #TBReporter