Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

53-year-old bicyclist dies in U.S. 19 accident

CLEARWATER - A bicyclist was killed Monday morning after he rode into traffic on U.S. 19 near Sunset Point Road. James N. Ratcliff Jr., 53, of Clearwater was pronounced dead at Mease Countryside Hospital after the 6:38 a.m. accident.

Clearwater police said Ratcliff rode his bicycle into northbound U.S. 19 traffic, which had a green light and the right of way. Ratcliff was grazed by a 2002 Nissan pickup in the center lane, then struck by a 1996 Jeep Cherokee in the median lane and run over. Neither the driver of the pickup, Osvaldo Piedra, 40, of Clearwater, nor the driver of the Jeep, Ralph Acosta, 63, of Clearwater, was injured. Acosta was cited, however, for driving with a suspended license.

No other charges are expected, police said. Northbound traffic on U.S. 19 was diverted east at Sunset Point Road for about three hours. Ratcliff's death is the 13th traffic fatality in the city this year. There were six traffic deaths in the city last year and 14 in 2002.

LARGO - The Largo/Mid-Pinellas Chamber of Commerce 52nd annual banquet is scheduled tonight at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, 1160 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater. The event begins with a social hour at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The banquet will honor outgoing chairwoman Arlene Walker and welcome new chairman Joe Falanga of Pak Mail. Cost to attend is $42 a person. Call Carol Korcz at 584-2321 for reservations.

Pinellas County School District administrators decided to stop parking ambulances at high school football games this year. A story Sunday didn't make clear who made the decision.