19 Year-old Motorcyclist Killed in Hillsborough Crash

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19 Year-old Motorcyclist Killed in Hillsborough Crash

19 year-old Melvin Cline Ford Jr. of Plant City died in a crash on Sunday, July 16, 2017 at approximately 1:33 p.m.

He was operating his father’s 2001 blue and white Suzuki motorcycle westbound on Lithia Pinecrest Road approaching Allen Road.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Ford was operating the motorcycle at a high rate of speed as witnesses stated he passed them at speeds of 80 miles per hour to 100 miles per hour approximately a tenth of a mile from the crash scene.

Leroy Newton Purk, age 73 of Lithia, was operating his 1998 black Mazda Protege eastbound on Lithia Pinecrest Road.

Purk did not see the motorcycle and began to initiate a left turn in front of the motorcycle. The motorcycle struck the passenger side of the Mazda causing the Mazda to rotate and overturn onto its passenger side.

Ford was displaced from the motorcycle. He was wearing a helmet and was transported to Lakeland Regional Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Purk was transported to Tampa General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.