Only 11 days into April, Lee County has had at least its second fatality of the month involving a bicyclist after a collision in the Gateway community.
Fort Myers Police were investigating the death after the wreck involving a car along Plantation Gardens Drive on April 11.
Here’s what to know.
The early Saturday afternoon incident occurred near Commerce Lakes Drive, but unlike last week’s collision, the automobile driver did not flee the scene. Authorities, who had few details, were continuing their investigation.
The scene pained some of those driving by the site, where just earlier a group from the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club had passed by.
It occurred “just outside of my neighborhood at the intersection of Plantation Gardens and Commerce Lake Road,” said club member Todd Golnick. “Obviously it is shocking since so many of our routes go through there. I just went through it (Saturday morning). One of my neighbors, who went by shortly after, was pretty shook up.”
The moment stirred up emotions for another club member, Megan Fasig.
“Sadly I do not think I will ever be comfortable riding on the road again,” Fasig said. “After losing one of our own and someone I knew, it just hits too close and scares the hell out of me. I have lost all confidence, and frankly my life is worth more than being able to ride on the road. My family needs me, more than I need to ride my bike on the road ― I’ll stick to the paths.”
Lehigh Acres investigation into hit-and-run that killed bicyclist
In Lehigh Acres, troopers were continuing to look into the involvement of at least two motorists in an April 2 hit-and-run crash that killed a man in Lehigh Acres.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, the adult male bicyclist was riding along East 5th Street near James Avenue about 11:45 p.m. when he was struck by a vehicle.
After the collision, a witness observed a gray sedan, with a possible missing hubcap and headlight damage, and a red SUV stopped in the area.
The witness told troopers the vehicles then left. The bicyclist suffered critical injuries and died at a hospital.
Troopers said the dynamics of the event remain under investigation, but they found and impounded at least one of the vehicles for forensic analysis.
Anyone with information regarding the wreck, is asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol *FHP or Southwest Florida Crimestoppers, 1-800-780-TIPS (8477).
2024 hit, run resolved
Such types of cases can be solved, according to reporting by News-Press staff member Stacey Henson.
In March, a Lehigh Acres man, Jose Manuel Aguiar-Meza, 42, pleaded no contest to charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death; leaving the scene of a crash involving personal injury; and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
That incident occurred March 28, 2024.
About 2 dozen SW Florida traffic fatalities in just over 3 months
According to Florida government records and research by the News-Press and Naples Daily News, the most recent fatality is at least the 11th in Lee County for 2026, and it is among more than 3,500 reported overall crashes.
The state documents point to at least a third fatality in Lee involving a bicyclist. As of April 4, smaller Collier County had at least a dozen traffic fatalities, giving Southwest Florida at least a total of 23.
Writing In the Know for the USA TODAY Network, Columnist Phil Fernandez (pfernandez@gannett.com) grew up in Southwest Florida and has led Pulitzer Prize-winning efforts. Sign up for our free Breaking Ground growth and development newsletter. Subscribe to our News-Press and Naples Daily News apps.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Latest Lee County bicyclist death sparks SW Florida road safety fears
Reporting by Phil Fernandez, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
