VIRGINIA KEY, FLA. (WSVN) – A motorcyclist riding along Rickenbacker Causeway was killed after, police said, he collided with a limo filled with members of a wedding party in front of the Miami Seaquarium, Saturday evening.
According to Miami-Dade Police, the victim, described as a man in his 20s, was pulling out of the Seaquarium’s parking lot and was trying to cross over into the causeway when he slammed into a 2014 Lincoln limousine heading eastbound, just after 5 p.m. He was ejected from the motorcycle.
Inside the limo, witnesses said, was a newlywed bride and her bridesmaids on their way to the wedding reception at the Seaquarium.
Speaking on the phone with 7News, wedding guest Bradley Morris said there was more than one motorcyclist attempting to turn on to the causeway. “A group of speed bikes were going [westbound] on the highway there. One of them T-boned the wedding limo,” he said.
Cellphone video sent in by a 7News viewer shows the motorcycle on the ground and the limo with major damage to its side in the aftermath of the accident. The video also captured wedding guests in light-colored evening gowns.
Morris, who is the brother of one of the bridesmaids, said one of the passengers in the limo jumped into action before paramedics arrived. “One of the bridesmaids is a registered nurse, so they performed CPR when the guy stopped breathing,” he said.
Officials said first responders administered CPR to the motorcyclist upon arrival. “They were giving him CPR there on the highway,” said Morris.
The victim was transported to Ryder Trauma Center, where he was pronounced dead.
.@MiamiDadePD say the motorcyclist is in his 20's and was pronounced dead at the hospital.@wsvn pic.twitter.com/6lsMIdvldy
— Andrew Scheinthal (@AScheinthalNews) February 26, 2017
At around 6:30 p.m., 7News cameras captured additional police cruisers from multiple agencies responding to the scene. Even Key Biscayne Fire Chief Eric Lang showed up, and he was off duty.
“I literally rolled up on it like you or anybody else would have,” said Lang. “I was off duty and I saw the commotion. I stopped to render aid.”
Onlookers said the bride and her guests were standing on the side of the road. “Not the best thing you want to happen to you on your wedding day,” said witness Aquilino Navarro.
Authorities shut down all lanes of the Rickenbacker Causeway while they investigated, backing up traffic for miles.
One motorist said he was stuck in traffic for hours. “More than two hours now,” he said.
Drivers were stranded until police were able to clear a path around the scene. “It’s a big inconvenience, but obviously there was a major incident that happened,” said Matthew Beem. “Hopefully, we’ll all be able to get back safe and sound.”
Morris said one bridesmaid sustained minor injuries. “One of the bridesmaids was injured by the breaking glass flying through the window, cut her forehead,” he said.
Westbound lanes were later reopened, and as of 10 p.m., vehicles were traveling in both directions on that side of the median.
Crews towed away the motorcycle at around 11 p.m.
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