Cyclist killed in crash on quiet Sanibel road, investigation underway

SANIBEL, Fla. (WINK)—A cyclist was killed in a crash on Sanibel on Wednesday morning, turning a lifestyle many on the island cherish into a tragedy.

Deputies say the crash occurred at the intersection of Wulfert Road and Dinkins Lake Road. 

The Lee County Sheriff's Office is still investigating the crash, so it's not known who died or what exactly happened.

Terrence McLaughlin, a cyclist who knows the area well, said the news hit close to home.

"It's just a fantastic place that you can ride bikes year-round," McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin has ridden the route many times and said the location makes the crash even harder to understand.

"I've ridden that route many times. I've been down that road, and so it's just kind of hard to imagine how something like this could happen," McLaughlin said. "It's very quiet. It's not a through street."

Michelle Avola-Brown, executive director of Naples Pathways Coalition, said the crash is a reminder that even in a place known for being bike-friendly, there are still real risks on the road.

"Somebody just out there enjoying the beautiful southwest Florida weather in March, and doesn't get to go home to their family. That's heartbreaking," Avola-Brown said.

She said the combination of tourists, distracted drivers, and an active community creates dangerous conditions.

"Whenever you have tourists, and whenever you have people looking at their phones and driving, and then you've got the active community out there, walking and biking. You know, it's wherever you are that's a scary combination," Avola-Brown said.

Avola-Brown encourages drivers to slow down, pay attention, and respect the people on two wheels.

"We all just need to take a deep breath and chill and realize, okay, everybody has someone that loves them, whether they're in a car, on a bike, on their feet, that wants them to come home," Avola-Brown said.

WINK News has requested the crash report to learn more about what happened. The sheriff's office says investigators hope to have the report completed soon.