4th Fatality Confirmed in Daytona’s Biketoberfest 2017

Biketoberfest 2017 has descended on Daytona once again, bringing with it scads of motorcyclists who want to join together in their love of motorcycles as well as show their solidarity with Florida after Irma.  The festivities are, for the most part, a huge success, however a few incidents have occurred that place an unwelcome strain on the otherwise jubilant atmosphere.  A spate of accidents and fatalities have plagued this year’s Biketoberfest, with the most recent death occurring this past Sunday.

Jeffrey Martin, a 51-year-old, was riding his 2002 Harley-Davidson without a helmet along 13th street, headed eastward, when he approached the intersection of 13th and San Jose Boulevard.  While crossing through the intersection, Martin collided with a car.  According to witnesses to the scene, the car, a 2004 Ford Pickup truck, ran a stop sign and hit Martin.  This occurred shortly after 5:00 in the evening.

Martin, an Ormond Beach resident, was rushed by emergency response teams to Halifax Health Medical Center, but the injuries he sustained as a result of the crash were too much to overcome and he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.

The spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol, Sgt. Kim Montes, spoke to reporters about the incident and the investigation.  She said that, as of right now, the authorities have yet to arrest or apprehend anyone in relation to this incident.

While the truck itself was able to be obtained, the driver of the truck—described as wearing a red hat, shorts made of denim, and a white tank top shirt—was seen pulling out a cellphone, making a call, and then being picked up by a white Nissan Altima after the accident.

The death of Jeffrey Martin is the fourth biker death in Biketoberfest this year.  Earlier in the week, Anthony Petro, a 52-year-old Orlando resident, and Ronald Ackley, a 61-year-old Eustis resident, died in an accident on Took Farms Road.  On Saturday, an unnamed 26-year-old biker died at close to 1:30 in the morning when he crashed his bike on the ramp connecting Interstate 95 and U.S. 1.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.