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Cyclist dies in head-on crash

The man is hit by two vehicles during his morning ride.

By ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published December 29, 2006

TAMPA - Early each morning, Ralph Greenwasser Jr. rode his bicycle near his home on the Hillsborough-Pasco border.

But Thursday morning, police say, a car going the wrong way in a turn lane hit his bike, tossing him into the path of another vehicle, which also struck him. He died at the scene.

"He was very athletic, and he enjoyed riding his bike," said Aven Nichols, a friend.

Just before 7 a.m., Leann Analco, 29, was headed east on County Line Road in a green Daewoo when she drove into a westbound turn lane at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, striking Greenwasser's bike head-on, said police spokeswoman Laura McElroy. The impact sent Greenwasser into the westbound lane of traffic, where he was hit by another vehicle.

Police are asking that driver to come forward. Analco, who could not be reached for comment, was cited for improper passing, police say. She was not criminally charged. Police say they do not have her address, but her driver's license shows a Pasco County address.

The crash happened near the Grand Hampton subdivision, where Greenwasser lived with his fiancee, Yvonne Taylor.

A retired chiropractor, Greenwasser, 50, prized health and fitness, spending hours at the gym and golfing, Nichols said. A native Floridian, Greenwasser grew up on the state's eastern coast. His father and siblings live near West Palm Beach, and he practiced in Fort Lauderdale.

Family and friends will remember his competitive drive and his love of life, Nichols said. "He loved to be the best at whatever he was doing," she said. "Even playing a game, he had to let you know he was going to win."

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call Tampa police at 813 231-6130.

Researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Abbie VanSickle can be reached at vansickle@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3373.

[Last modified December 29, 2006, 00:03:02]