Crime & Safety

Aggressive Driving to Blame in Sarasota Motorcycle Crash, Troopers Say

The motorcyclist was passing in the bicycle lane on Proctor Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A 19-year-old Sarasota man is in critical condition following a Wednesday evening crash on Proctor Road at Gantt Road.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, motorcyclist Bryant Warkentine was heading west on Proctor Road, approaching Gantt Road, around 5 p.m. at a ā€œhigh rate of speed in the bicycle lane, passing traffic on the rightā€ when the crash happened.

As Warkentine continued west on a 2005 Honda JSXR, Cynthia Stutler, 50, of Sarasota made a right turn onto Gantt Road under a green traffic signal, an email to media from the patrol stated.

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Stutler’s car went into Warkentine’s path as he was ā€œunlawfully and dangerously passing traffic on the right,ā€ the email said. The front of Warkentine’s bike struck Stutler’s Honda Accord, causing the cyclist to be ejected, troopers noted.

While Stutler was uninjured in the crash, Warkentine was taken to Blake Medical Center in critical condition. He was charged with careless and aggressive driving.

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Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol

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