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Bicyclist Badly Hurt After Collision Of Grease Truck, SUV

News Channel 8 photo by TODD DAVIS

A bicyclist was badly hurt after being struck by an SUV which was involved in an accident with a grease truck at the intersection of 5th Avenue South and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street in Saint Petersburg.

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 18, 2008

Updated: 07/18/2008 04:51 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - A bicyclist was clinging to life Friday after he was struck in a collision between a grease truck and sport utility vehicle at a city intersection off Interstate 175.

Kenneth Riggins, 45, of St. Petersburg was being treated at Bayfront Medical Center, according to St. Petersburg police. Riggins was deemed dead at the scene, brought back to life by paramedics, and then declared dead at the medical center before he was revived again, said St. Petersburg police spokesman Bill Proffitt.

The 16th Street exit off I-175 was closed for a time because of the wreck.

The truck, a 1-ton Isuzu vehicle with a 1,000-gallon tank for carrying food grease, collided with the SUV about 11 a.m. and both vehicles flipped, said St. Petersburg police Sgt. Paula Melanson.

The wreck occurred at 5th Avenue South and Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

The grease truck was eastbound on the 16th Street exit when it collided with the SUV, which was southbound on Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

It was unknown which driver had the green light, Melanson said. The bicyclist was hit in the tumbling of vehicles, Melanson said.

The truck, owned by FCS Grease Demons, was carrying about 300 gallons of grease at the time of the wreck, said Robbie McRanie, part owner of FCS Grease Demons. A minimal amount of grease spilled in the collision, McRanie said.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story stated incorrectly that the bicyclist had died. Some comments here may reflect this.

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