Police in Okeechobee, Florida believe that alcohol may have been a factor in a fatal New Year’s Eve bicycle accident, according to sources. Linda Rae Hill, 52, fell from her bicycle onto the pavement as she was riding and died from her head injury.
The accident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Witnesses reported that Hill had been consuming alcohol all day. After Hill fell from her bicycle, she was unconscious for an unknown period of time. When she regained consciousness, she crawled across the road and sat next to a power pole when a passing motorists discovered her and contacted authorities. Hill was rushed to the hospital, where she died the next day.
Riding a bicycle is not a safe alternative to driving if you have been consuming alcohol. Statistics show that cyclists and pedestrians are at an elevated risk of accidents and death if they have been drinking. In California (and most other states) it is illegal to operate a bicycle intoxicated, just like any other vehicle. If you plan on drinking, you should arrange for a safe ride home. Please contact our firm for more information if you have been involved in an accident.
Bonnici Law Group, APC—San Diego wrongful death attorney