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Biker Guilty In Death Of Passenger

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By TODD LESKANIC

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 22, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - A jury deliberated for more than two hours Thursday before finding Michael Rose guilty of DUI-manslaughter in the death of Lucinda Reapp.

Rose, 51, of Lutz, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Reapp, 34, was killed in a motorcycle wreck on Dec. 8, 2003. The wife and mother of three was riding a motorcycle with Rose when the bike hit a median on State Road 52, near Hudson, and skidded into oncoming lanes.

She was thrown from the motorcycle and died after being run over by a pickup. Rose wasn't seriously injured, but tests showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.17. Florida drivers are considered legally intoxicated at 0.08.

He was arrested in April 2004 and charged with DUI-manslaughter and DUI culpable negligence.

Jurors in Rose's trial were presented with one key question: Who was driving the motorcycle when it crashed? Defense attorney Geoff Cox argued that Reapp was driving, and Rose said as much in testimony Thursday.

Assistant State Attorney Jim Goodnow argued Rose was the driver. Witnesses testified Rose told them he was driving when they stopped to help. Two other witnesses testified that they saw Rose and Reapp drive out of a bar parking lot on the motorcycle. Both witnesses said Rose was driving.

His ex-wife, Joan Yeager, testified that Rose wrote her a letter saying he planned to blame Reapp for the crash.

He stopped at the Frosty Mug bar in Hudson about 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2003. Reapp was tending bar.

Rose testified that he had known Reapp for about four years and had gotten to know her through his regular trips to the bar. At some point that night, Rose testified, he left the bar and was planning to head home. That's when Reapp called him and asked if she could borrow some money.

Rose returned to the bar to give her the money, then took her to a nearby store to buy Tylenol for her sick daughter.

That's where the stories diverged. Rose testified that Reapp asked to drive the bike and that he allowed her to because she had driven the motorcycle on other occasions. Rose said Reapp lost control of the motorcycle after another car made a sudden lane change and she slammed on the brakes.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084 or tleskanic@tampatrib.com.

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