Investigation of Bicyclist's Death May Take Another Month

It could be more than a month before troopers are finished investigating the death of a 43-year-old Land O’ Lakes man who was killed while riding a bicycle near the Suncoast Trail last month.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s deadline for the investigation into the death of Andres Manuel Ortega is June 10, said spokesman Sgt. Steve Gaskins.

Ortega was killed about 6:30 a.m. on March 12 while trying to ride the bicycle across State Road 54 at the Suncoast Trail which runs parallel to the Suncoast Parkway, the highway patrol said in its initial review of the accident.

Ortega has been riding north on the trail and was crossing where the trail intersects State Road 54 when he was hit by a semi-tractor trailer hauling rock, troopers said. He died at the scene.

The intersection has a traffic light.

Investigations of traffic deaths are detailed and take time, Gaskins said.

“It is a very thorough investigation. They interview witnesses and look at everything,” he said.

No charges have been filed and the investigation is considered pending.

The investigation includes blood and toxicology tests. The report could be done earlier and will be reviewed, Gaskins said.

The Tampa Bay Times reported the day after the accident that the truck was driven by 60-year-old Patricia Helen Li of Brooksville.

Investigators said at the time there were trying to determine whether the truck driver had a green light, the paper reported Gaskins as saying.