Updated: 32-year-old motorcyclist killed in N. Main Street accident

Press release from Gainesville Police Department

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gainesville Police Department’s preliminary investigation reveals that the 32-year-old motorcyclist was northbound on Main Street at about 11:47 a.m. when an automobile made a left-hand turn to go eastbound on 31st Avenue. Unable to avoid a collision, the motorcyclist struck the passenger side of the car. Bystanders attempted first aid until authorities arrived, but unfortunately, he died at the scene. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. Our investigation continues.

  • I’m sure speed played a big factor in this, it usually does when you have testosterone riding on two wheels. It sure would be nice if the sheriff’s department would do something about the group of thugs on dirt bikes riding up and down Waldo Road. Had some idiot blow a red light in front of the Walmart and start Wheeling. It’s starting to look like the criminals and gangsters on that side are making they’re own rules and laws.

    • Do you know what kind of bike? Do you know age of rider? Do you know anything that would lead you to make such a horrible comment?
      yeah didn’t think so.
      Just spouting off…

    • I’m sure a someone on a CELL PHONE was to blame. They looked up from their phone and didn’t see any cars and turned in front of the motorcycle. Get the facts before you run your mouth.

    • Actually they aren’t thugs. Have u ever thought like that’s what they do instead of hanging in the streets? Smfh y’all complain if they hang in the streets and end up in a gang…but also when they find something productive to do that keeps them out the streets. Smfh. U are part of the problem.

      • I’m not sure if you’re aware of the laws Miss Tamara Burgess but it’s illegal to ride a dirt bike on the street and not only that it’s also illegal to blow red lights and have zero disregard for other traffic. That’s Thug Behavior at its finest, when individuals do what they want because they think they’re above the law and don’t care because they feel they own the streets. I will continue to call law enforcement when I see them so you can syfh all you want.

          • Lmao yes i’m aware of that. There’s a difference between a dirt bike and an Enduro bike the Enduro bike is allowed to be on the street because of the lights and turn signals it has. The bikes these thugs are riding have NONE of that. Therefore it is not legal. Please learn your laws before you reference me again.

          • @bodybagz:

            How Have I Made My Dirt Bike Street Legal in Florida?

            Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle goes through some guidelines to grant a dirt bike as a street-legal. It requires road safety endorsements like registration and license for final approval. Let’s see the step-by-step guide to legalizing dirt bikes on the public street

            Please don’t come at me on something you “think you know”

          • Lmao take that and shove it where the sun don’t shine lady. The dirt bikes they are riding up and down the streets have no lights and are NOT street legal. Don’t argue with me I’ve been riding Motocross bikes for 30 years. In order for them to be registered as street legal they need turn signals headlights and brake lights. Get YOUR info straight. If I had to guess I bet you there stolen as well. Quit taking up for your loser Idiot Friends that want to break the law. I’ll be laughing when one of them T-Bones a car cause the way they ride its bound to happen soon.

          • WOW, you definitely have issues with females knowing a little more than what you thought. Your comment to me: “Please learn your laws before you reference me again.” Again, dirt bikes can be made street legal! I have no idea about the dirt bikes you claim to see racing up and down the streets – I am sure they would be pulled over by law enforcement.

            You must be a nasty and hateful person to make this comment: “I’ll be laughing when one of them T-Bones a car cause the way they ride its bound to happen soon.”

            Nobody cares that you have been doing motorcross for 30 years!

            I assure you my friends who ride are not losers or idiots! If you ride on streets and highways you would know that the majority of cage drivers do not look out for motorcyclists!

            If you can’t respond without being hateful keep your response to yourself.

          • What does dirt bikes becoming street legal have anything to do with the fact that the ones that are riding up and down Waldo Road ARE NOT!

          • This young man who died was a very sweet and ambitious young man. He was a hard worker and a beautiful human being. He was riding a legal bike and had a helmet. There’s no way he was a thug. I’m grateful for all who tried to save his life, and who prayed for him. I asked all of you to please pray for his parents who are deeply grieved as well as his brothers. The kind of comments that you have made, sir are totally uncalled for. Judgment and assumption get us nowhere. May God have mercy on John and his family.

          • What Parts Are Required to Make a Dirt Bike Street Legal?
            Headlights.
            Tail lights.
            Blinkers (Varies by state)
            Mirrors.
            Reflectors.
            Horn.

      • Lmao witness the speed I’m referring to? Yeah, I’ve seen them multiple times, the last time was a solo Rider that blew the red light in front of Walmart. I am a law abiding citizen and follow the speed limits and every time I’ve seen them they’ve passed me in excess of 10 or 15 miles an hour.

    • Did you know the historical definition for a “THUG” is a member of a group or organization of robbers and assassins in India who waylaid and strangled their victims, usually travelers, and stole their belongings. They were suppressed by the British in the 1830s. You have no evidence of anyone you call a thug being involved in a robbery, nobody is being assassinated we are not in India, and who around here honestly is suppressed by the British at this moment?? Oh wait that was in the 1830s

    • In a crash, multiple parties may lay claim to the ‘blame’. I saw the right front door of the automobile. I wager speed was a factor. The complacency of the automobile operator also was a factor, and they will likely be cited for failure to yield the right of way. Was the motorcyclist operating his headlamp? How about the road configuration? Did line of sight play a factor? What was the solar position? Were there other vehicles blocking either parties’ vision? The cell records will be subpoenaed for all parties involved. Was the crash avoidable? Yes. Is it a tragedy. Yes. What lessons may be learned? Many.

  • Such a bright clear day, too. Somebody is a serious fault, I’m sure an insurance lawyer will find out who.

  • Panhandling is a public safety issue if vagrants are begging for money in street medians…The Waldo road & 39th corridor has a big trash bag full of trash that’s been sitting there for weeks. Panhandlers are distracting to drivers. Can the CC keep the panhandlers out of the streets? Law enforcement should stop & write tickets to panhandlers if they are in the median. I see it, why does our CC
    Give it the blind eye? Zero tolerance for vagrancy & panhandlers in street intersections now!

    • First of all Mr. Pink, panhandling has nothing to do with this at all! Second of all not EVERYONE on the streets is panhandling. Trust me, there are actually homeless people out there! I know quite a few of them! I was homeless for 17 months before. I’m not homeless anymore. But the ones who panhandle just to make a “side hustle” are stupid as well! There are true homeless people and they get over looked because of the panhandlers!

  • I don’t know who is it fault, but a lot of those motorcyclists drive like absolute maniacs!

  • It appears that the two vehicles were traveling in opposite directions on Main. Regardless of the speed of the motorcycle, if the car turned into the path of the cyclist, he/she driving the car failed to give right-of-way to the cyclist.
    How many times have many of us seen the bumper stickers that say, “Watch Out For Motorcycles”?

    Not all white people are racists.
    Not all people of color are criminals.
    Not all motorcyclists are reckless.

    • I am always cautious going through intersections and slow down..there’s sometimes yellow turn arrow signals and you need to be watchful of oncoming traffic..you need to be extra cautious on motorcycles because
      If you crash on one, you can get hurt bad.

    • So apparently none of y’all understand the difference in the speed of a motorcycle and a vehicle! The speed of a motorcycle is faster for a reason. No one knows the real story and never will! The breaks in the car could have been bad. But not all motorcyclists are NOT maniacs either! Either way a life was lost and God had his reason for it happening!

    • May work…Apparently some people can’t get their minds to work based solely on your comment. One can’t help but wonder if the ‘thumbs down’ are because of the first part of your comment or the second? Either way, shows just how biased/prejudiced some people can actually be.

    • Say it again and louder!!!!

      Not all white people are racists.
      Not all people of color are criminals.
      Not all motorcyclists are reckless.

    • The thing is… that stretch of North Main has motorcycles speeding up and down it at least a few nights a week, like a noisy race track. It’s frequented by motorcyclists who drive like jerks. Maybe it was someone going the speed limit, or it could just as easily been someone going 70 or 80 mph, and that would make it completely their fault. Motorcyclists shouldn’t risk their lives on a bumper sticker slogan. It should be fairly easy to determine the speed of the motorcycle from the skid marks and the amount of damage.

      • Mr Peabody, if the cyclist never hit his brakes there wouldn’t be any skid marks other than those in his pants. Likewise, if the car turned in front of the cyclist, the car would be guilty of not yielding the right-of-way to the cyclist, despite any assumed violation of the speed limit. Motorcyclists don’t risk their lives on a bumper sticker, they hope it reminds people to be mindful there’s others on the road besides just the ones in 4 wheeled vehicles. Kind of like “don’t dive into the shallow end of a pool.” You would think people would have enough common sense – unfortunately, they don’t.

        Been there, done that but if I’m wrong, I’ll admit it.

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