Aug 25, 2008 1:06 pm US/Eastern
Bicyclist Critical After Causeway Accident
Cabbie Herbert Morais Is Not Facing Charges At This Time
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Two more of the bicyclists struck over the weekend by cab as they were crossing the MacArthur Causeway have been released from the hospital.
Julio Fuertes, 47, and Robert Canovaca, 44, checked out of Jackson Memorial Hospital nursing cuts and scrapes and bruises. They were just two of 11 bike riders who were injured when Herbert Morais, 52, lost control of his Checkered Cab while driving eastbound on the causeway Sunday morning near the entrance to Palm Island.
Police say the riders had just moved into a lane of traffic to avoid a curb when they were hit.
"They did not see the car coming. Some of them were hit by the car. They all started jumping, then everybody went down," described Miami Beach Detective Juan Sanchez.
Six of the injured riders were taken to the Ryder Trauma Center; along with Fuertes and Canovaca, Gustavo Martinez, 43; Ramon Garcia, 45; and Julio Suares, 33, were treated for injuries.
The sixth rider, 48-year old Javier Linares, underwent surgery Sunday morning; his condition was critical. Witnesses said Linares slammed into the cab's windshield.
Fuertes who was scraped and scratched from head to toe says back bears the scars of a long, painful slide on the road. "I saw everything. The tire next to me, and I thought I was going to go under the car." His helmet now has a huge crack in it. His bike shirt is shredded and the cleats on his shoes are shattered. His $4,000 racing bike has been totaled.
Gusatvo Martinez's sister Maria is just thankful her brother will recover. "At least my brother is stable. Emotionally it's hard, but he's stable." Maria says the group gets together every weekend for a trip into Miami Beach. She told
CBS4's Joan Murray the causeway is a favorite route.
Morais, who remained at the scene after the crash, reportedly admitted to police he had fallen asleep behind the wheel at the time of the accident. He is not facing any charges at this time. His wife told
CBS4 he had just worked 12 hours and is diabetic. She told
CBS4's Joan Murray that both of them feel really bad for the victims and their family.
Fuertes says the cab driver should have been more responsible.
"Someone is in real bad shape right now. I know people have to work, but they also have to rest," said Fuertes.
Even so, the accident may have destroyed his bike, but not his passion for the sport. Fuertes says he'll be back on the road as soon as his injuries heal.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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