Lakeland Motorcyclist Dies In 3-Car Pileup In Brandon

BRANDON, FL -- A 59-year-old Lakeland man has died following a three-car pileup on Lithia-Pinecrest Road at Bryant Road.

On Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 3:54 p.m., Edward Walker was stopped on his Harley Davidson motorcycle behind a Ford F250 pickup truck driven by Derrick Rowe, 44, of Lithia on eastbound Lithia-Pinecrest Road at Bryant Road.

As Walker waited for Rowe to make a left turn into a business, Jeffrey Coe, 58, of Plant City, driving a Dodge pickup truck, failed to notice the vehicles stopped in front of him and rear-ended the motorcycle.

The motorcycle was pushed into the Ford and Walker flew off the motorcycle into the rear of the Ford.

After the impact, Rowe's foot came off brake and the Ford drove onto the shoulder. The motorcycle fell over onto its right side and caught fire. The Dodge truck rotated counterclockwise and overturned onto its left side.

Rowe got out of his truck and began rendering aid.

A witness noticed Walker hanging on the tailgate of Rowe's truck. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue provided advanced life support, but Walker died at the scene. Rowe suffered soreness, but was not transported to the hospital. Coe was transported to Tampa General Hospital with minor injuries.

Image via Hillsborough Sheriff

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