2 killed as girl steps in motorcycle's path

By ALEXANDRA ZAYAS
Published April 23, 2007

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TAMPA - Robert Lee Kolp loved his mom and his motorcycle. The 20-year-old from Plant City dreamed of becoming a state trooper.

Lucia Thibodeaux was just 16. She wrote poetry, danced hip hop and had a beautiful singing voice.

Both lives ended on the Courtney Campbell Causeway just before midnight Saturday.

Pedro Quinones, 25, of Tampa was driving west on the causeway when Tampa police say he lost control and struck a guardrail.

Lucia, his passenger, opened the car door and stepped into the street and into the path of the 20-year-old Kolp and his motorcycle.

Lucia and Kolp died at the scene.

Quinones was arrested and charged with driving under the influence with serious bodily injury and driving without a valid license. Jail records show Quinones was also charged with DUI in 2004.

He was released Sunday on $2,250 bond.

Sandra Gonzalez, 25, doesn't know how her cousin Lucia ended up in Quinones' car, but she has suspicions.

"This MySpace nowadays is so dangerous," she said. "You hear about it every day, and she's constantly on there. I wouldn't doubt that it's even the first time she knew the guy."

Gonzalez had just attended a family party with Lucia hours before. Lucia was a joker, she said. An "untouchable teenager." Her best friend.

Fay Kolp worried about her fearless son every time he cruised the causeway on his motorcycle.

"Ever since Robert was little, he always had a need for speed," the mother said. "And he loved to go nothing to 90 on almost anything he did."

He also couldn't wait for his birthday. He kept a counter running on his MySpace profile. Two months, three days, five hours until the big 21.

When his mom worried, or got angry at him, he'd say "Mom, just chill out. It'll be all right."

Friends filled her Plant City home Sunday night. One, who was with Kolp the night of the accident, offered consolation in the form of a dream he had.

"He saw Robert in heaven, dressed in gold, and he was smiling and laughing and telling us he liked it where he was," Kolp said.

"I believe that he's in heaven."

Alexandra Zayas can be reached at 813 226-3354 or azayas@sptimes.com.