The bike repair shop in Florida was shut down on Thursday, a day after a cyclist was killed when his bike fell off the sidewalk.
“It’s been a terrible day for the neighborhood and for the entire cycling community in this community,” said Eric Anderson, owner of Bicycle Works Inc., a bike repair business in the Lakeland area.
He said he had no information on how long the closure would last.
Anderson said he was shocked when he learned that the business had closed.
His business was open since January but was shuttered because of safety concerns, he said.
I don’t know if it’s going to get any better, but it’s definitely going to be an inconvenience,” he said, adding that his family was looking forward to the new year.
A woman rides her bike through downtown Miami on Oct. 26.
In June, a bicyclist was killed after falling off a sidewalk on Interstate 95 in Gainesville, Florida, while pedaling along the sidewalk in the early morning hours.
Two days later, a pedestrian was killed on a sidewalk in downtown Orlando after a motorist driving a white car pulled alongside and struck the pedestrian on the sidewalk, causing her to fall.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver of the white car, 25-year-old Anthony Burchfield of Gainesville was charged with vehicular homicide and negligent homicide.
Burchfield was also charged with driving while intoxicated.
He was later released on $5,000 bail.
This is a developing story.
Check back for updates.