Fiery motorcycle crash on bridge sends biker flying into Florida bay, cops say

A motorcyclist was killed in an episodic crash that began with the bike hitting an SUV and ended with him flying into Tampa Bay, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

It happened around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, on the nearly three-mile-long Gandy Bridge between Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Investigators say a 23-year-old Pinellas Park man was traveling westbound on the bridge “at a high rate of speed” as he neared a Hyundai Tucson driven by a man from Orlando.

“The motorcyclist overtook and collided with the rear of the SUV near the Pinellas County line,” Sergeant Steve Gaskins reported in a news release.

“Upon impact, the SUV came to rest in the travel lanes while the motorcycle struck the outside barrier wall and burst into flames. ... The driver was thrown into Tampa Bay.”

Tampa police recovered the biker’s body from the bay, which is about 43 feet below the bridge at its highest point.

The SUV driver, a 41-year-old man, had non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital, officials said.

The identities of the two men were not released.

This story was originally published October 21, 2024 at 9:28 AM with the headline "Fiery motorcycle crash on bridge sends biker flying into Florida bay, cops say."