Tampa, FL (April 13, 2019) - A 43-year-old man is dead after his motorcycle was struck by a vehicle on Friday, April 12th. The crash took place in the exit lanes of Interstate 275 northbound.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers say that Joshua Omar Santiago was riding a motorcycle on I-275 when he attempted to exit toward State Route 580. At the same time, 27-year-old Elisha M. Cruz attempted to merge into Santiago's lane. While Cruz was merging, she collided with Santiago's motorcycle. The motorcycle then crossed onto the outside shoulder and collided with a guardrail. Santiago died at the crash scene, while Cruz was not injured.
There is no word at this time on any potential charges.
A fatal accident takes place about every three hours in Florida. A high percentage of deadly crashes involve motorcycles and motorcycles are by far the deadliest vehicles on the road. While motorcycles account for about 3% of all registered vehicles, they are responsible for nearly 15% of fatal crashes. A motorcycle offers limited protection in the event of a collision with another vehicle and motorcyclists are frequently ejected from the bike following a crash.
If you or a loved one are dealing with the effect of a motorcycle crash, please contact our Florida motorcycle accident attorneys at Rubenstein Law, at 1-800 FL-Legal. We are standing by 24/7 to assist you and help you get back on your feet in the aftermath of the accident.
Rubenstein Law is dedicated to serving individuals & families injured by the negligence of others. We know first-hand the heartbreak that can be left behind after an accident. In our news blog, we write about cases of personal injury relevant to our line of work, and we report on news of judgments and appellate cases that affect the rights of personal injury claimants. We feel a responsibility to raise awareness of the injury and tragic loss of life occurring across our state every day.
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