A man on a bicycle died in May after being struck from behind by one vehicle and run over by another.
By DUANE BOURNE
Published September 16, 2004
BROOKSVILLE - A 34-year-old Spring Hill woman has been arrested and charged in a May accident that left a bicyclist dead.
The Florida Highway Patrol suspects that Candy Ann Semenuk was driving under the influence when her minivan struck a bicyclist from behind and knocked him into the road, where he was run over by another car.
Semenuk was taken into custody at the Hernando County Jail on Tuesday and charged with DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident, both felonies, in connection with the death of John Vangelakos.
FHP spokesman Trooper Larry Coggins could not provide details on the four-month investigation or what led investigators to seek charges against Semenuk. Coggins was also unable to disclose Wednesday whether Semenuk's minivan or the other car delivered the blow that killed Vangelakos.
The 46-year-old horticulturist was riding his 18-speed mountain bike west on Northcliffe Boulevard near Millwood Road around 1:43 a.m. on May 5, when Semenuk's Mercury minivan struck him from behind according to an FHP report.
Semenuk pulled the minivan into a nearby driveway to call 911, an earlier report stated. As Vangelakos lay critically injured along the east-west thoroughfare, Semenuk spoke with dispatchers. It is unclear what Semenuk did after the initial 911 call.
While Vangelakos lay in the road, another car, whose driver has not been identified, plowed over Vangelakos and took off, authorities said. Vangelakos was pronounced dead at the scene. He was only about a mile from the Swiss Road home he shared with his elderly mother.
After the accident, his relatives pleaded with the second driver to come forward. The incident also prompted crash investigators to seek witnesses.
On Wednesday, it was still unclear if anyone else has come forward.
Semenuk's bail was set at $80,000, and she was ordered to appear in court for arraignment on Oct. 19, court documents show.
