Updated April 28, 2019 – LONGBOAT KEY – A bicyclist died Monday, April 22 after being involved in a fatal accident on Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Ridgley Harrison III, 67, of New York died in the accident, according to Sarasota Police Department Public Information Officer Genevieve Judge.
The accident happened in the 5800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive around 10:30 a.m. The 5800 block is south of Cannon’s Marina and north of Harry’s Corner Store.
“We’re working in partnership with Longboat Key Police Department right now. Our traffic unit is conducting this investigation for the Longboat Key Police Department because they currently do not have any traffic homicide investigators,” Judge said Monday evening.
“Preliminary information is that this is a bicycle versus vehicle fatality crash. The bicyclist, an adult male, was transported from the scene to Blake Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The crash remains under investigation,” Judge said.
The accident and the ensuing investigation rendered that section of Gulf of Mexico Drive impassable to vehicular traffic for more than an hour.
Bradenton Beach Police Officer Eric Hill said he responded to a followup call to retrieve a paramedic’s laptop computer that was left behind at the crash scene.
On May 8, 2018, a pedestrian was struck and killed while crossing Gulf of Mexico Drive near the Whitney Plaza at the north end of Longboat Key.
