Posted on 04/27/2005 3:36:48 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
TAMPA - Vincent Edward Tucker refused to get out of the fast lane when a man driving a large, black SUV pulled up behind him honking the horn on the Courtney Campbell Parkway Tuesday morning.
Tampa police say that's when the road rage began.
The SUV was relentless, and Tucker just wouldn't budge, witnesses said. They told investigators that the SUV's driver and Tucker got into a "heated argument" while traveling westbound on the Courtney Campbell, police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said. Gestures were exchanged by both, possibly even words, she said.
The black SUV eventually got into the right lane and passed Tucker's silver Isuzu Rodeo, then veered back into the fast lane, cutting him off, McElroy said. Tucker tried to avoid hitting the SUV by slamming on his brakes.
McElroy said the two vehicles never collided, but Tucker's maneuver caused his Rodeo to flip, and he was ejected because he wasn't wearing a seat belt. He later died in surgery at Tampa General Hospital.
The SUV driver never stopped.
"We have road rage. We have a hit and run. We have somebody who is dead," McElroy said. "And we have to find who is responsible."
The accident happened about 11:30 a.m. between the Ben T. Davis beach and a boat ramp west of there. McElroy said police hit-and-run detectives believe the SUV driver was a man, based on information from the only two drivers who had come forward with details Tuesday afternoon.
McElroy could only describe the hit-and-run vehicle as "a shiny, full-size SUV."
"This is a very serious accident, a very serious crime, and we have to find this driver," McElroy said. "We're going to assume that this is going to weigh very heavily on the conscience of the person involved."
McElroy said the driver of the black SUV had to have known that Tucker's vehicle flipped. She said she hopes that if he talks with family members or friends about the incident, they will call police.
Vincent Tucker, 33, lived at 7101 Lawnview Court with his mother, Glenda Tucker. A woman who answered the door at their Town 'N Country home Tuesday evening said the family did not wish to speak with reporters.
Cynthia Alvarez, who lives across the street from the Tuckers, has a son a year older than Vincent Tucker.
She said she often spoke with Tucker's mother because their sons had a lot in common.
"Vince is a very quiet person," she said. "He is either at work or back home."
Alvarez has known Tucker and his mother since they both moved into the neighborhood about four years ago. Before living in Florida, the Tucker family lived in North Carolina, according to state records.
Alvarez said Tucker spent most of his time watching television or using the computer.
He worked in Pinellas County for a company that made hotel reservations, she said. And whenever she or her son needed anything, like the time her car broke down, Tucker and his mother offered to help.
"I would like that driver to please come forward," Alvarez said. "There is just no reason why anyone would do something so stupid in the road that would take someone's life."
Detectives ask that anyone who may have information about the SUV driver call Tampa police at (813) 276-3578.
Times researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this story. Kevin Graham can be reached at 813 226-3433 or kgraham@sptimes.com
I can't figure 'em out either, but I leave room and let 'em in just the same. I haven't been able to define that invisible and much-contested cutoff point where it's considered forward-thinking and courteous to go ahead and merge, so it may as well be the end-block for all I care. I slow down, leave room and let them in, without having to hit my brakes and cause a total stoppage in the flow lane...which is what always happens, sooner or later...some sap will totally stop to let the lame-brain in and the traffic goes straight to heck after that.
Man, that's like the bank shot of Darwin Awards.
Good idea? I don't know - but we were behind her and P'O.
This isn't about safety or speed, it's about your little power trip.
Same here -- as soon as there's room to do so. What really irks me is when there clearly isn't room to move over immediately (like when there's a slower car in front of you, or a semi or two immediately to your right), but the guy behind you continues to tailgate/flash his lights/honk his horn. It's like, I get it dude. Calm down. Nothing I can do right now.
Sorry I just check and it was passed March 1974 under Nixon.
Same here.
It was "passed" in '73, Nixon signed it 1-2-74.
Does that hurt your feelings?
I think that might be the older as in aged drivers or the inexperienced. They don't want to be in the right lane where they have to look for merging traffic and change lanes accordingly, so they just stay in the middle. The don't drive fast so unless they need a left lane exit, they just stay in the middle. It is the easiest for them and they probably drive slower than others so, it makes the middle lane slower. Just a guess.
It makes me laugh. Hypocrisy always does.
Stuff it, bunghole.
I didn't ask for your comments, nor did I initiate this conversation. You did.
Because you're a bunghole. by cicero's son
You did post a message about how you like to stay in passing lane and impeded trafiic. I responded to that . By posting , you invited comments. I do not need your permission to respond to your comments.
Whatever the case, there's remarkably less light flashing around here than in other states.
Regardless of who might have started it, please knock off the personal stuff.
No passing on the right and keep right except to pass mean anything to you?
Obviously not. Just because you use granny gear doesn't give you the right to force others to make an illegal pass on the right.
You are part of the problem. Accept reality and that people MAY ACTUALLY TRAVEL FASTER THAN YOU! (GASP)
Keep your speed morals to yourself....we don't care.
You don't know why the person behind you is in a hurry. All that concerns you is your pride. Grow up.
I drove in the second from the right lane and maintained a steady speed at the posted speed limit.
The other driver stayed in the left two lanes, cut in and out, sped, braked, chased others off the road, and everything possible that folks think might give them an edge in traffic.
I got to the destination in Anaheim 20 minutes earlier than the other driver!
The center-lane only seems slower. This is an optical illusion. We had a FR thread concerning these studies show up recently.
Everybody knows that.
At a minimum, this fatal result has to be shared equally. There are a lot of crazies on the highways and two of them happened to meet.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.