Motorcyclist Dead In Seminole Crash on Park Street
Posted: July 23, 2015 – 7 PM
Reports of a vehicle crash come in shortly before 12:54 PM on Thursday, July 23, 2015. Fire rescue units were dispatched from both Seminole and Lealman along with Sunstar Paramedics and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was reported that a motorcyclist was down in the roadway and his motorcycle was on fire.
Due to the extent of his injuries, 32 year-old Gregory Lavallie of Largo died on the scene. Crews from Lealman Fire Department worked to extinguish the burning motorcycle which traveled over 200 feet following the collision.
According to a press release from Cristen Smith of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Lavallie was traveling on a 2006 Suzuki Motorcycle southbound on Park Street in Seminole. As the flow of traffic began to slow due to the traffic signal changing from yellow to red, the driver of the motorcycle continued to drive at a high rate of speed between cars. As the motorcycle entered the intersection of Park Street and 49th Avenue, 82 year-old Marilyn Weeks of St. Petersburg driving a 2003 Subaru, had a green light and began to make a left turn onto 49th Avenue.
The report additional states the motorcycle driver attempted to avoid a collision, causing him to lose control of the motorcycle according to deputies. Lavallie was ejected from the bike and struck the rear wheel area of the Subaru. The motorcycle continued to slide down the roadway and caught on fire. Debris from the motorcycle struck a 1997 Lincoln that was traveling in the area of the crash.
The drivers of both the Subaru and the Lincoln were not injured in the crash.
Southbound lanes of Park Street were shut down for several hours during the investigation. All lanes have since reopened.
The investigation continues.
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Greg was my brother inlaw he was a loving father of 2 beautiful girls and a good man he didnt deserve to leave us so young we had so many memories together with him that we will never forget we love you Greg.
Rest in peace.
Im so sorry for your loss i work at starbucks and watched the whole thing happen. It was really hard on me to watch i lost my best friend the same way. I dont think i have ever cried so much in my life as i did yesterday. I want to help in any way i can.
Sincerly,
Christin
Thank you guys for all your support we all know in a time like this family and friends are what cam get you thru this hard time and loss.
Hey christin thank you for reaching out is there anyway you can call us , we just want to have piece of mind and visual on how it happened because the media seems to put all blame on him. 727 608 3276
Sorry for the loss of your friend. If you search his name on the Pinellas traffic court website, it may clear things up as to why the media is blaming him for the accident.
Greg was my neighbor he was a father of two beautiful girls and had his amazing wife…I’m so sorry for there lose…he was a great man RIP Greg
Greg was a good friend of my son’s since their teenage years, he was a father of two beautiful daughter’s (the youngest only 3 months old) RIP Greg, so sorry for your loss Nicole, you & your girls are in my thoughts.
Maybe if the woman had looked twice and not thought the way was clear!
The car had a green light. The motorcycle ran the red light. What should she have done?
Jan, I trust no one at an intersection. I may have the right of way, but I KNOW some couldn’t care less! I always hesitate before crossing roadway, continuing on through a green light, or merging as someone may not be paying attention! (whether I’m on bike or car). We really can’t be TOO careful.
Whenever I pull up next to a motorcycle at a red light that was driving reckless, I usually tell them that “I hope I don’t read about you in the obituary”. It may not be that day, but sadly, this is usually the end result.
http://www.gofundme.com/7q3b7upa4
Unless anyone of you were physically there you wont know anything but what the reports say so ….lets make sure we know facts. At the end of the day he is gone so lets poor all our emotions and feelings into helping his wife and kids. There we over 20 witnesses at the scene i know because i was there.
My wife was there. I had driven motorcycles for many years. I have seen people drive in such a manner. There is no excuse for impatience. I’m sorry for the survivors. I laid down a bike once out of stupidity… I almost went under a car at a light. I was racing a car… Again I will say that there is no excuse for impatience or stupidity… PR