MANATEE — Florida Highway Patrol troopers have not been able to identify a bicyclist hospitalized after being hit by a truck while riding on U.S. 301 Thursday night.
Troopers say at 7:30 p.m., the bicyclist was riding east on U.S. 301, just east of Interstate 75, when the rider pulled into the roadway in front of a Toyota pickup also heading east on the highway, according to a FHP report.
The bicyclist was struck by the truck and rolled up on the windshield before being thrown on the pavement. Emergency personnel airlifted the bicyclist to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg in serious condition.
FHP did not release if the bicyclist was a man or woman. The driver of the truck was not injured and no charges have been filed.
Search is on for Palmetto nightclub burglar
PALMETTO — Palmetto police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who broke into a nightclub and stole thousands worth of electronics.
Officers said between July 7 and July 8, the man forced his way into the club and stole an amplifier, sound mixer, microphone and 42-inch flat-screen television worth more than $10,000. Surveillance video in the nightclub captured footage of the man during the burglary.
Anyone with information on the burglary can call Palmetto Police Detective Chad Oyler at (941) 723-4587, ext. 306, or Crimestoppers at (866) 634-TIPS.
Man charged with several burglaries
BRADENTON — Bradenton police have filed more charges against a man accused of burglarizing businesses in which he smashed out storefront windows and stole merchandise and cash, according to Bradenton Police Department reports.
Donald C. Zes, 37, faces several burglary charges after detectives arrested him Oct. 15 after a theft in which he grabbed $1,200 worth of glasses off a shelf during business hours at Manatee Family Eyecare, 7400 block of Manatee Avenue West, and fled the store.
During an investigation into that case, Zes told detectives he was responsible for as many as 12 burglaries throughout Manatee. On April 10, police say Zes shattered a window at Manatee Top Nails, 5700 block of Cortez Road, and stole $3,000 in cash and electronics.
Zes has been arrested on five counts of burglary and a count of grand theft and was being held in the Manatee County jail on $60,000 bond.
Manatee man injured fighting muggers
MANATEE — A 45-year-old Manatee man was injured while fighting off two attackers who tried to rob him, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
The man was walking home from work in the 300 block of 57th Avenue West at about 11:30 p.m. Thursday when he was approached by two men who demanded his wallet. When he refused, a fight ensued, according to the sheriff’s office.
During the struggle, the victim was able to start choking one of the suspects, when he was struck in the back of the head with an unknown object. The suspects then fled in a black Mazda sports car, the sheriff’s office said. Paramedics treated the victim at the scene.
One of the suspects was described as being in his 30s and standing 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds, with a medium build and blond hair. The second suspect was described as being in his 20s and standing 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing 125 pounds, with a medium build and black hair, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies watching bus stops for suspicious person
MANATEE — Deputies were called out to several bus stops this week after parents reported seeing a man with a Chihuahua puppy trying to talk with children, according to a community bulletin issued by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
The man was spotted at two different bus stops near elementary schools: one in the 300 block of 21st Street West in Palmetto and another at Shenandoah Circle and 64th Avenue East in Ellenton near the pool area at Covered Bridge Estates.
The man was seen between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. driving either a green or grey van.
While the man has not committed any crimes, deputies are monitoring the situation to ensure the person isn’t trying to abduct a child.
Anyone who has information about the man’s identity, contact the sheriff’s office at 747-3011 or remain anonymous by calling Crimestoppers at (866)634-TIPS (8477). If someone spots the man and the van, they should contact 911.
— Robert Napper, Marc R. Masferrer and Beth Burger
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