Wesley Chapel Woman Killed in Hillsborough County Motorcycle Crash
Erica Kristen Rodriguez, age 28 of Wesley Chapel, was killed in a crash when her motorcycle collided with a vehicle in Hillsborough County.
At approximately 9:05 a.m. on December 17, 2017, Rodriguez was the helmeted operator of a 2014 green Kawasaki Ninja Motorcycle. She was eastbound on Lutz Lake Fern Road, just west of Sun Lake Boulevard.
A 39 year-old Lutz man was operating a grey 2017 Toyota Corolla 4-door, and was also eastbound on Lutz Lake Fern Road, an unknown distance ahead of Rodriguez in traffic.
Rodriguez was riding with a small group of motorcycle riders. The driver of the Corolla was driving his family to church, but they had forgotten something at their home. According to witnesses, he activated his left turn signal, slowed down, and was turning into a nearby driveway.
Rodriguez had entered the westbound lane while still traveling eastbound, and was attempting to pass traffic across a double yellow line, in a no passing zone. Rodriguez struck the driver’s side of the Toyota and suffered critical injuries.
Rodriguez was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, where she was pronounced deceased upon arrival. All the occupants of Toyota were restrained and uninjured.
No charges are pending according to investigators.