kensuf

I ride this section of road at least two-three times a month..

From The Gainesville Sun

Article published Aug 30, 2006
Aug 30, 2006

Student killed in bicycle accident

By LISE FISHER

Sun staff writer
A bicycle ride turned deadly for a University of Florida graduate student, who was fatally injured after he was struck from behind on Williston Road on Sunday.

Welch McNair Bostick III, 34, was pronounced dead at 12:55 a.m. Monday, about five hours after the collision that occurred about 7:25 p.m., the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Bostick suffered internal bleeding when he was hit, a family friend and others who knew the doctoral student said Tuesday.

Doctors used about 50 units of blood while trying to save him, but his heart later failed.

A doctoral student at UF's agricultural and biological engineering department, Bostick had been riding north on Williston Road and was about three miles west of Gainesville when a northbound car crashed into the rear of his bicycle.

Bostick had been bicycling on the road's paved shoulder, troopers reported. The 2000 Infinity, driven by Andrew C. Day, 18, of Micanopy, had drifted off the roadway just before the crash.

Driver distraction may have been the cause of the fatal crash.

"The preliminary crash investigation reveals the possibility that the driver may have been distracted, causing him to drift into the bicyclist," said FHP spokesman Lt. Mike Burroughs.

Day was cited by troopers for failure to maintain a single lane.

Bostick had mastered mathematics and physics in connection with his field of study, said James W. Jones, a distinguished professor with Agricultural and Biological Engineering and Bostick's major professor. Bostick had been one of about 15 people in Jones' lab at the school. "But he also mastered interpersonal relationships," Jones said. "He was just a fine gentleman. We miss him greatly."

Born in Charlotte, N.C., Bostick moved with his family to South Carolina when he was a child, his family reported.

He had received his undergraduate and master's degrees at Clemson University in South Carolina before entering the doctoral program at UF in the fall of 2001, said Jones and Kenneth L. Campbell, the department's interim chairman.

"He's one of the best students I've ever had," said Jones, who expected Bostick would have received his doctorate later this year.

Campbell said Bostick had done work in Africa relating to crop growth and production.

"He was always looking to help out his fellow students. New students would come into the lab to work and he would greet and welcome them in," Campbell said.

Bostick was active in community housing on campus. A resident at University Village South, he had served as "mayor" at the complex, an elected position at the student housing area.

Jones said Bostick was considering going to Europe to continue his studies but was also looking at job opportunities in the United States.

Before coming to UF, Bostick also had studied in Japan, where he met his wife, Carmen Valero Aracama, who graduated with a doctorate from UF last year. The couple has a 9-month-old son, Luca Bostick-Valero.

A memorial service will be held for Bostick today starting at 9 a.m. in the Bamboo Garden at Kanapaha Gardens off Archer Road.

-VELOCITY-

A truly sad story. Reminds me how easy it is to be here one minute and gone the next.

mikeswickednick

a horrible thing to read about. i dont trust the drivers down here, ill never ride on the road. side walk for me, i dont care if i get cited for riding on a ped. area fl's drivers are the worst ive ever expereinced. Hope noone gets offend by that statement but in my short life and the states ive lived in its my findings.

-VELOCITY-

No offense taken. It's a true statement. But I don't ride on sidewalks. To much uneven surfaces. I just watch out when I'm out on the road.

Joe Pozer

"Day was cited by troopers for failure to maintain a single lane."

That's all he was charged with? I know it was an accident and the kid didn't intentionally run over the cyclist, but still, he killed someone with his car by not paying attention to the road. If you are holding a gun which goes off accidently killing someone, do you get off with just a slap on the wrist?

Snuffleupagus

It's vehicular manslaughter...but hey, the guy was on a bike so he had it coming right

Mr. Gear Jammer

Well seems like bike riders are getting hit left and right. Dam crazy drivers, this is what happens when their is not enough police officers on the road to prevent speeders, drunk driving and what ever else makes those drivers dangerous.

JayC

I sent an email to the district attorney.. Im sure it wont do any good but that charge is just laughable.

Mr. Gear Jammer

I hear ya, bogus the guy should get life in prision with no parole. That would wake up the crazy ass drivers wouldn't it? .

mark lewis

I'm just reading this for the first time. Reminds me of when I read a biking authors book where he stated it was safer to ride 2 feet toward the center of the lane from the curb and never the edge or the shoulder. Reason - drivers will more likely slow down and move WELL around you. When you hug the edge of the road they will always attempt to occupy as much of that lane with you - very dangerous. I switched to his philosophy that day and have riden that way for the last 2 years. If you haven't try it I highly recommend it. Be safe - take the road back!!

karasu

This is terrible news, but I don't think anyone should get life in prison for an accident.

kensuf

I agree with that, but the kid should not be given a pass. There was a follow-up article a week or two ago, and it turns out the kid had dropped something on the floor and had bent over to pick it up off the floor while continuing to drive his vehicle on the road. IMHO, he should lose his license for an extended period of time and he should be forced to perform some community service (maybe giving speeches to high school students about how operating a car is a responsibility).

We've had a fair number of accidents in Gainesville over the last five weeks, enough that my wife's now on the "cycling is dangerous" kick. First the student killed above, then a guy who had two accidents in 3 weeks (both requiring surgeries and hospital visits, yikes), and just last week a woman was hit by a car when the driver was temporarily blinded by the sun. There's also been a "crazy woman" who has been hassling cyclists and trying to run them off the road, but no one has been able to track her down (license plate??). There've also been a number of "letters to the editor" about those "dangerous cyclists" lately in our paper..

*sigh*

nebben123

I can't believe the kid driver got off with a slap on the wrist. What a shame. If it was up to me, he would be charged with a homicide. Yeah, it was an "accident". But people need to be more careful when they drive cars, and if they aren't and kill someone, they should go to jail. For a long time. The dude could have waited until he got to his destination to pick his crap up off the floorboard. Now a cyclist is dead.

Reminds me of what one of my friends told me that they do in NYC. Get some of that small ball chain (like they use on GI dog tags), hook two used spark plugs on the end by bending the arc gap. Keep this in your pocket or close at hand. When a car driver cuts you off or runs you off the road, whip the chain around and let it fly. The spark plugs will supposedly bust the car window. If you can remember the description of the car, the police can call the local repair shops and find them when they get the window repaired. I've never had the need to do this, but it has crossed my mind a few times.