Northpinellas: Two die in fiery crash of SUV, cycle

PALM HARBOR - Two men died in a fireball Monday when a motorcycle slammed into a sports utility vehicle, flipping them both.

The SUV landed on its side, on top of the motorcyclist, sparking a fire that filled the air with thick, black smoke.

Authorities have not identified the burned bodies of the drivers, except to say they were both white men. Witnesses said the motorcyclist was driving faster than 100 miles per hour.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 2005 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle was speeding north on U.S. 19 near Nebraska Avenue about 10:55 a.m. when it crashed into the passenger side of a Chevrolet Suburban making a U-turn.

Trooper Larry Coggins Jr. called the impact "very intense," noting the 900-pound motorcycle was able to flip a 4,000-pound SUV.

He said the motorcycle appeared to be traveling very fast but was not believed to be racing.

The crash happened on a busy stretch of U.S. 19 in front of Payless ShoeSource and a Carvel Ice Cream store.

Dorothy Norton said she was finishing breakfast at a nearby bagel shop and saw the motorcycle passing everybody on the road.

When the driver tried to stop, his back wheel lifted high into the air, Norton said.

Other witnesses heard the thud of the crash. They looked out to see a fire, small at first, but quickly growing.

Michael West put down the hot dog he was eating and picked up a fire extinguisher from his truck. He emptied the extinguisher fighting the blaze. His brother, Chuck West, used another one, but wasn't able to put out the flames. Nor was a local postman who tried with a third extinguisher, according to witnesses.

"I didn't want them to die or nothing," Chuck West said, "but there was nothing we could do."

Michael West fought his way to the edge of the SUV and peered in. He said he didn't see any movement.

Coggins, of the FHP, said it was unclear how fast the motorcycle was traveling or whether it tried to stop.

Because of the extreme violence of the wreck, the bodies will have to be identified by the medical examiner, Coggins said.

Times staff writer Casey Cora and researcher Shirl Kennedy contributed to this report. Jonathan Abel can be reached at jabel@sptimes.com or 727 445-4157.

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Comments on this article

by Andrew	01/11/08 05:31 PM
Condolences to both families. I worked with Craig, and knew him as kind, dependable and professional.

by Nick	01/09/08 03:54 PM
Real sympathy for all realtives of all involved, and right of way doesn't come into it if the guy was travelling at the speed stated and yes I am a biker

by Kim	01/09/08 11:47 AM
My cousin was murdered by an irresponsible motorcyclist, numerous lives have been affected including the family of the murderer!!!!

by Kim	01/09/08 08:19 AM
If Craig was so "responsible" why was he driving on a suspended liscence?

by Eddie (Rider)	01/08/08 11:41 PM
Wow this is sad. First of all there is no way the bike weighs 900 pounds ( 500 is most)i will admit i have gone about 140 on Us 19 before. there is a place and time to do things like that and US 19 is not.

by Concerned Cyclist	01/08/08 11:29 PM
This is another instance of the ignorance of youth trumping the cause of common sense. Riders like these, that ignore the law, and drive recklessly give all of us a bad name. The saddest part of this episode is he took someone else with him.

by Rebecca	01/08/08 07:50 PM
Listen - the guy in the suv - was my cousin - don't care what you think - lots of witnesses say they saw the cyclist going in EXCESS of 100 MPH - that's ridiculous - and I've lost a cousin now because of it....

by Candi	01/08/08 06:56 PM
My God how sad. I hope there at rest. And pray that the family's are strong when they get the new's. My God be with them.

by Joe	01/08/08 06:31 PM
Good call Larry. The only way a ninja could hit 900lbs is with a fat girl on the back. Sucks for the both of them, i drive on 19 every day & wonder when its gonna be my turn to back up traffic for a few hours. Too bad neither have a chance to learn.

by STEPH	01/08/08 06:25 PM
I FEEL BAD FOR THE GUY IN THE SUV,PEOPLE NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL WHEN DRIVING,REGARDLESS IF IT WAS A CAR OR MOTORCYCLE,SOME PEOPLE IN FLORIDA ARE CRAZY DRIVERS AND VERY UNSAFE

by mike	01/08/08 04:52 PM
As a fellow rider and someone who knows some of his friends, i think many of us should consider he was a person with freinds and family, he had a life like us. we all make bad decisions, unfortunatly, he paid the the ultimate price. R.I.P.

by Brittany	01/08/08 04:27 PM
WOW, YOU PEOPLE ARE SOME OF THE COLDEST PEOPLE I'VE HEARD OF.. REGARDLESS, OF THE DETAILS 2 MEN ARE DIED.. BOTTOM LINE NOBODY WILL KNOW THE TRUTH ON WHAT HAPPEN EXPECT THOSE 2 MEN SO STOP POINTING THE FINGER!!!!!

by Share	01/08/08 04:25 PM
If you know him so well, you would know his name is HALES.

by James (Rider)	01/08/08 04:14 PM
Right of way is irrelevant when someone's going that fast. Tough to judge speed of a bike at legal speeds. When you see a bike 3 football fields away, blink, and he's now less than 1...not what most people expect. Not even riders can. RIP both....

by Jessica	01/08/08 03:49 PM
Okay, but bruce if the motorcycle had been going the speed limit then im pretty sure they would still be alive and the accident may not have occured. One of my friends died on a motorcycle, I know how dangerous they can be & you need to be careful.

by raistlon	01/08/08 03:16 PM
No reason to do 100mph on US-19. Regardless if the SUV was making an illegal U-Turn, if the bike was not traveling at such a wreckless rate of speed they all would of had a much better chance of survival.

by Meg	01/08/08 03:07 PM
Come on... I'll bet there isn't one person who has not witnessed a speeding motorcyclist. It almost always seems to be the Ninja bikes. Saw one last week on US19 speeding and passing people like it was a slalom course. BTW my husband drives a Harley.

by Rick	01/08/08 02:15 PM
In regards to the comment of the driver of the motorcycle being a great guy and being responsible.. My condolences and prayers to both families.. but being responsible is not doing 100 mph on US-19.. Thats about as STUPID as you can be..

by Bland	01/08/08 01:58 PM
No one should be traveling 100 MPH on our local roads. This is just nuts....

by pAT	01/08/08 01:57 PM
SAD - BUT 100 MILES AN HOUR, IF HE WANTS TO TAKE THAT CHANCE FINE BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER CAR, EVEN IF HE WAS PULLING OUT THE KID HAD NO TIME TO SLOW DOWN AND SAVE HIS OWN LIFE

by just sayin	01/08/08 01:41 PM
Stephanie, are wheelies and weaving in & out of traffic bad? I'm glad you were driving carefully b/c if the motorcyclist were to have fallen off his bike and you ran him over, you would've probably been faulted for driving the speed limit & in 1 lane

by Joe	01/08/08 01:41 PM
If someone drives a motorcycle in that manner, they deserve what happens to them. I am sick of seeing them drive that way, and hope this is a warning. I hope they don't wear helmets, then there would be less on the road after this happens to each one

by Michael	01/08/08 01:38 PM
The international rules for the prevention of collision at sea define a safe speed as being able to stop within the available sight distance. That would seem to be common sense. How unfortunate that stupidity had to take an innocent all with him.

by john	01/08/08 01:37 PM
take a ride down us 19 everday and youll see several motorcycles speeding to excess. they always go over a 100. this has been the second or third death of a bike rider in the last few months.

by Mike	01/08/08 01:33 PM
True! I commute along that streach of US19 daily and can't think of a single "cut thru" that doesn't have a "no U-turn" sign. So I guess we can also say, "There goes another idiot SUV driver thinking he's king of the road and got somebody got killed.

by MELISSA	01/08/08 01:12 PM
I'M SICK OF SEEING THESE KIDS ON MOTORCYCLES, SPEEDING AND DOING TRICKS. I WISH WE HAD CAMERA'S ON EVERY MAJOR ROAD TO CATCH THESE DARE DEVILS. ONE MORE LIFE TAKEN FOR NO REASON! MY THOUGHTS GO OUT TO BOTH FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

by Kenny	01/08/08 01:08 PM
Thank God, my 1977 Honda SuperSport got stolen in 1981 or I might have been one of those 'casualties'. Pinellas County is not the place to own a high performance motorcycle. And a biker MUST be on the lookout for the other idiots.

by Mike	01/08/08 01:01 PM
Drew,I'm sure he was a great guy and its a tragedy. But driving at 100 miles an hour on a public road DOES jeaprodize others and is the HEIGHT of irresponsibility. If these riders want to risk their lives,- find a private track. Dont risk my life too

by Bill	01/08/08 12:59 PM
Hey Bruce, you moron, the guy was going WELL over 100mph, look twice nothing, the idiot on the bike should never have been going that fast. Too bad he had to take an innocent life along with his own. How can drivers be expected to see bikes going 100

by Christina	01/08/08 12:39 PM
It's not the motorcycles...it's the idiots who think it's cool to go 100 MPH on busy roads. Then those who speed on 49th St. popping wheelies and weaving in and out. Motorcyclists should take an "idiot test" first.

by Bruce	01/08/08 12:05 PM
Everyone always blames the motorcycles, whem nothing could be further from the truth. nobody seemed to ask who had the right of way. sounds like the truck did not look before he pulled out in front of the bike. Look twice save a life.

by Mary	01/08/08 12:01 PM
This was another tragic accident on our roads, lets not put the blame on anyone, and think of both families who have lost love ones, my thoughts and prayers go out to them and may god give them the strength to get through this

by BusaVeloce	01/08/08 11:44 AM
sad news...The bike rider chose the wrong place to pull the trigger. I hope the SUV was not making an illegal u-turn? Jenna...so sad that most drivers do not see motorcycles...

by Drew	01/08/08 11:35 AM
Motorcycle rider is named by several friends that know him(including me) to be named Craig Hale... He was an incredible guy who was very responsible and. Was a great rider and never did anything to jeprodise others. dont make him sound irresponsible

by BOB	01/08/08 11:26 AM
They kill more people these motorcycle drivers are taking a big chance driving on the over crowded streets at 100 miles an hour with no regaurd for any one else another accident and 2 die what ashame

Two die in fiery crash of SUV, cycle

The motorcycle flips the larger vehicle, killing both drivers.