Bradenton man arrested after leaving scene of fatal motorcycle crash, police say

The Bradenton Police Department arrested a 27-year-old motorcyclist Friday night after he left the scene of a fatal crash, the agency said.

The pedestrian, a man in his 80s, was crossing Manatee Avenue at 21st Street East around 6:45 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, police say. He was not in a crosswalk, and he lived in the area, according to a social media post made by the Bradenton Police Department.

Police say the man was struck by a motorcycle, driven by Javier Ochoa, 27. The pedestrian was then hit by a second vehicle, according to the agency.

The driver of the second vehicle remained at the scene, but Ochoa left the scene of the collision, police said.

At about 7:15 p.m., Ochoa arrived at a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office substation and asked to speak with officers, according to Meredith Censullo, the Bradenton Police Department’s public information officer. Ochoa then “cooperated with the investigation,” according to an X post by the Bradenton Police Department.

Ochoa was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death and was released on bond following his first appearance, according to Censullo.

Manatee Avenue was closed during the Traffic Homicide Investigation Unit’s assessment, and all lanes were reopened around 1:40 a.m. on Saturday.