Sheriff David Morgan Involved In Minor Traffic Accident

July 24, 2015

Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan was involved in minor traffic accident about noon Friday, colliding with a bicyclist that was riding on the sidewalk.

According to a release from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office:

“The sheriff was attempting to pull out of a parking lot onto Fairfield Drive. While Sheriff Morgan was watching oncoming traffic, a bicyclist riding on the sidewalk in the opposite direction of traffic attempted to ride in front of the sheriff’s vehicle as the sheriff was pulling into traffic. The bicyclist suffered minor abrasions to his leg and attempted to leave.

“Sheriff Morgan convinced the man into getting checked out by EMS and to wait for Florida Highway Patrol to work the accident.

“When EMS arrived, the bicyclist requested to be transported to the hospital. Florida Highway Patrol arrived and worked the accident. Neither driver was cited as being at fault.”

Comments

16 Responses to “Sheriff David Morgan Involved In Minor Traffic Accident”

  1. David on July 25th, 2015 7:19 pm

    Happened to me in the 70’s and my wife a month later when we were turning right out of a busy street onto a busy street and a guy on a bike was flying by,hit the front of the car as each of us was pulling out and got knocked off the bike. Fortunately neither was hurt. Parents and FHP were called in both instances and upon determination the cyclist was wrong in both cases both parents in each case and the FHP lectured them with very stern words about riding on the wrong side of the road and on the side walks.

    Glad they were not hurt and hope it may have prevented a worse tragedy that could have happened later on.

  2. puddin on July 25th, 2015 5:48 pm

    Stumpknocker,
    Thanks for enlightenment on the bicycle law. I was wrong about that. As a law enforcement official, which I am pretty sure you are, you would understand that a trained L.E.O., and not a Guard of Aircraft would be better trained in defensive driving. Just saying! Thanks for the heads up.

  3. Jim D on July 25th, 2015 9:54 am

    This is one of the examples why many states prohibit bicycles from using sidewalks. I actually had to look up to see if it was legal in Florida, and it is, and even though they move much faster than pedestrians, they have pedestrian rights while on the sidewalk which is crazy. Even the Florida Bicycle Association states on their website: “Adult bicyclists do not belong on the sidewalk” because “it actually increases your risk of being hit by a car because it aggravates turning and crossing conflicts” (floridabicycle.org/drive-your-bike/).

  4. Carl on July 25th, 2015 8:58 am

    Bicycle are responsible to watch for pedestrians and vehicles. Just like riding on the road they should go with the flow of traffic instead of facing it as pedestrians do. This was clearly the bicyclist fault.

  5. Pensacola Pete on July 25th, 2015 8:55 am

    State law says bicycles are not to be operated on sidewalks, sidewalks are for pedestrians. Bicycles are to be operated like any other vehicle, on the roadway, following the same rules as automobiles and motorcycles. What would the comments be if it was a motorcycle, dirtbike or four-wheeler on the sidewalk traveling against traffic?

    Maybe we should expect people to obey the laws instead of blaming the ones enforcing those laws for not being perfect.

  6. Stumpknocker on July 25th, 2015 8:36 am

    Hey puddin, you are wrong about one thing motorists do not have to yield to someone on a bike,the person ridding the bike must follow all traffic laws as if they were driving a car, to include ridding in the same direction as traffic. This same thing happened to me and the person on the bike was cited for traveling in the wrong direction on a sidewalk while ridding a bike, I am thankful my in car video captured the incident. Yeah kinda funny the guy wanted to leave until he found out it was the Sheriff and he decided to stick around to take a ride with EMS and collect a check,he is the one that should have cited.

  7. Don on July 25th, 2015 6:28 am

    The bicyclist wanted to leave as he was not hurt,but seems to have changed his mind with ems? ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) opportunity knocks(you down)

  8. Gary on July 25th, 2015 5:54 am

    Sheriff Morgan has been the best LEO this country has EVER had. This incident was not his fault and trust me, FHP would cite him if it was his fault.

    Perhaps we should go back to the Vince Seely or Ronnie Mac type of Sheriff???

  9. Joe on July 25th, 2015 5:36 am

    I work in the area known as Englewood. A four lane road, you are turning right, so you are looking to the left to clear traffic. You pull out and some idiot is riding a bike down the sidewalk in the wrong direction. I have seen it. You cannot issue a ticket for stupid.

  10. puddin on July 24th, 2015 11:36 pm

    Regardless of what people say, it is the law to yield for pedestrians and bikes. Yes it is an accident and it could happen to anyone but when you put on a uniform, you are held to a hugher standard. He might need to learn from his employees how to deal better with emergency situations.

  11. billy on July 24th, 2015 10:49 pm

    God bless ya Sheriff Morgan

  12. Joe on July 24th, 2015 6:07 pm

    The Sheriff is an honorable man and accident happen. Glad the man is ok.

  13. Toni on July 24th, 2015 6:07 pm

    Citizen: you’re assuming he did not do so. What if he did, and the bicycle entered his path after he started going? Have you never been in a traffic situation where one second there was no other vehicle and the next second there was? Neither driver was ticketed by another independent agency. Perhaps it was actually, genuinely an accident.

  14. EMD on July 24th, 2015 5:45 pm

    Dear Citizen,

    The sheriff is a human being. Not some sci fi automaton. Shame on you. The same thing could happen to you or me or anyone. At least he did the right thing. THAT was not an accident. Key word here is “accident.”

  15. Citizen on July 24th, 2015 5:17 pm

    Dear Sheriff Morgan,

    In the future, please stop and look both ways before entering into the intersection. Glad no one was seriously injured.

    Thank you

  16. Sage 2 on July 24th, 2015 5:07 pm

    The Sheriff did what any reasonable and prudent person would do. He stands as an example for all, especially our law enforcement officers!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News