Teen who rode bike into vehicle’s path released from hospital
A Cape Coral teen has been released from the hospital after his bicycle was struck by a truck.
As of Tuesday, Nicholas A. Golod, 14, of 414 S.E. Third Terrace, had been discharged from Tampa General Hospital, where he was taken April 4 following the crash on Santa Barbara Boulevard South.
A Dodge truck, driven by Joshua T. Corkhill, 22, of 8052 Wingfoot Drive, San Carlos Park, was traveling south on Santa Barbara in the middle lane, according to the Cape police. At the same time, Golod was riding south on Santa Barbara on the sidewalk on the west side of the road.
At 2:50 p.m., Golod yelled, “Lets cross the road right now,” to another juvenile with him in the 900 block. He then immediately rode off the sidewalk directly to the left and into the truck’s path.
Corkhill veered left in an attempt to avoid Golod, but the front of the bicycle struck the truck. The outside passenger rearview mirror then struck the teen in the head and forced him to the ground.
According to officials, the truck did not drive over Golod or the bicycle.
Golod sustained life-threatening injuries and was trauma-alerted via an ambulance to Lee Memorial Hospital, a report states. The teen was later airlifted to Tampa General in critical condition.
Golod was not wearing a helmet at the time, according to police.
Corkhill did not sustain any injuries in the accident. His two passengers in the truck – Colette E. Williams, 20, of Atlantic Beach, and Brian McGrath, 25, of the Cape, also were not injured.
The crash is not alcohol or drug related.
The report states that Golod was found at fault in the accident for failure to yield right-of-way and failure to wear a bicycle helmet. Florida law requires children under the age of 16 to wear one.