Early Morning Crash on the Howard Frankland Bridge Leaves One Motorcyclist Dead
The Florida Highway Patrol is currently investigating a crash involving a two motorcyclists and a pickup truck. The crash occurred at approximately 2:54 a.m. on Sunday, November 18, 2018.
Investigators say that a 31 year-old Gregory Kubitz from Palmetto, Florida was operating a 2005 Yamaha motorcycle southbound on the Howard Frankland Bridge near the center span hump.
Traveling ahead of Kubitz was 21 year-old Joshua Warner of St. Petersburg in a 2011 Dodge 2500 pickup truck pulling a utility trailer loaded with three ATVs.
Troopers say that the Yamaha, traveling at a high rate of speed, overtook and collided with the trailer being towed by the Pickup truck.
After the initial impact, 21 year-old David Matute-Sorto of Bradenton operating a 2016 Suzuki motorcycle collided with debris from the crash. Matute-Sorto was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
Kubitz, the operator of the Yamaha was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg where he died from this injuries.
Warner was not injured in the crash.
Both motorcyclists were wearing helmets at the time of the crash according to investigators.
The crash closed the southbound lanes of the bridge for several hours and reopened at approximately 8:25 a.m.