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Man in front-end loader bounces out and is run over

Times Staff Writer
Published February 12, 2004

A Tampa man remained in critical condition Wednesday at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg after a piece of construction equipment ran him over Tuesday in East Lake.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Genaro Gomez-Hernandez, 23, was riding in the bucket of a front-end loader driven by 27-year-old Christopher J. Hardyman at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday when Hardyman hit a series of bumps, knocking Gomez-Hernandez to the ground.

Not knowing he had already hit Gomez-Hernandez, the driver then tried to turn left to avoid the man on the ground, further injuring the victim, troopers said. The accident took place at the edge of Keystone Road's westbound lane, near Lora Lane. No charges have been filed.

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