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Motorcyclist Dies in Fiery Crash on Lithia Pinecrest Road

Police Lights | Florida | TB Reporter

One driver failed to notice stopped traffic and rear-ended the motorcycle, Hillsborough deputies said.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY – A Lakeland motorcyclist died Wednesday (Jan. 2) when his motorcycle was hit from the rear by a pickup truck on Lithia Pinecrest Road, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said.

Edward Walker, 59, of Lakeland, died at the scene.

Jeffrey Coe, 58, of Plant City, the driver of the truck that hit Mr. Walker’s motorcycle, was taken to Tampa General Hospital with minor injuries, deputies said. Derrick Rowe, 44, of Lithia, one of the other drivers involved in the crash, complained of soreness but was not taken to a hospital. The fourth driver, Terry Courson, 59, of Brandon, was not injured.

The crash happened about 3:54 p.m. at the intersection of Lithia Pinecrest Road and Bryant Road in Hillsborough County.

Mr. Walker, who was driving as 2017 Harley Davidson motorcycle, was stopped on eastbound Lithia Pinecrest at Bryant behind a 2019 Ford F250 that Rowe was driving. As Mr. Walker waited for Rowe to make a left turn into a business, deputies said Coe, who was driving a 2000 Dodge pickup truck, failed to notice the vehicles stopped in front of him and rear-ended the motorcycle.

The motorcycle was pushed into the Ford. The impact also threw Mr. Walker into the rear of the Ford.

After the impact, Rowe’s foot came off the brake and the Ford traveled eastbound off the south shoulder to final rest. The motorcycle fell over onto its right side and caught fire. The Dodge truck rotated counterclockwise and overturned, coming to final rest on its left side.

Courson was driving a 2018 Cadillac CTS west on Lithia Pinecrest. Debris from the crash struck his Cadillac causing minor paint damage.

Rowe got out of his truck and ran back to the crash scene to help.

Deputies said a witness noticed Mr. Walker hanging on the tailgate of Rowe’s truck. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue rendered advanced life support, but was unsuccessful at saving Mr. Walker.

Hillsborough Sheriff | Edward Walker | Lithia Pinecrest Road Crash | Motorcycle Crash | Tampabay News

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