Bicyclist struck in Florida fatal auto accident

Florida police made a traffic stop after 2 a.m. on a recent Saturday. The driver is now facing serious criminal charges. The incident is believed to be connected with a fatal auto accident that happened just moments before police made the stop. 

Police say that the driver was intoxicated when he tried to pass a bicyclist heading southbound on the roadway. As he attempted the maneuver, his vehicle struck the bicyclist. The force of impact ejected the bicyclist from his seat. Sadly, he landed on the sidewalk and succumbed to his injuries there. 

The 24-year-old car driver allegedly fled the scene of the collision. The bicycle was reportedly dragged under his car for more than two miles before police pulled him over. The man has been charged with DUI homicide as well as leaving the scene of an accident.

In Florida, anyone who operates a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .08 or higher is committing a crime. The vehicle driver in this case is said to have taken two breath tests, the first resulting in a BAC of .130 and the second .128. An immediately family member grieving the loss of a fatal auto accident victim is able to seek restitution in his or her memory by filing a wrongful death claim in a civil court. As plaintiff, the family member is tasked with providing evidence in court to prove that the party sued was negligent or reckless, and that the negligence or recklessness was a direct cause of the death.