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Motorcyclist Killed in Tarpon Springs Hit and Run Accident

January 13, 2011 - Tarpon Springs, FL - A 48-year-old motorcyclist from New Port Richey lost his life on January 8 when he was struck by another vehicle.

In reports from WTSP.com, Florida Highway Patrol claims that the driver of the other vehicle, 18-year-old Leo Gilghrest, of Oldsmar, was southbound on McMullen Booth Road when he turned left into the path of Duane Murphy's motorcycle. The front of the bike crashed into Gilghrest's car, sending Murphy flying over the hood and landing on the ground.

Gilghrest fled the scene, abandoning his car at the Ridgemoore Community Park on Ridgemoore Drive. Investigators later found Gilghrest and a passenger, Rolliston Nurse, 18, at an Oldsmar residence. Gilghrest was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident that involved a fatality, as well as making a left hand turn in front of approaching traffic. He was booked at Pinellas County Jail.

Hit and run accidents are even more devastating because of the lack of a party to hold responsible. In the event you or a loved one are in a hit and run accident, you still may be able to file a personal injury claim or wrongful death claim with the help of an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury attorney.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' 2009 Traffic Crash Statistics Report, there were 197,214 traffic crashes resulting in injury and 2,563 fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in Florida.

As a service to the residents of St. Petersburg, our firm will frequently publish blogs about local traffic accidents. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in Florida that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.

Common accidents include, but are not limited to: 

• single-car accidents;
• hit-and-run accidents;
• accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
• accidents caused by aggressive driving or distracted drivers. 

If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim's family member or friend and would like the blog posting removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will promptly accommodate your request.

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