EAST LAKE, Fla — A motorcyclist died following a crash that shut down a busy road for hours in Pinellas County, the Florida Highway Patrol said in a release.
The crash happened around 5:10 a.m. in the southbound lanes of East Lake Road just south of Keystone Road. According to troopers, a 22-year-old from New Port Richey was riding his Yamaha R6 motorcycle southbound on East Lake Road "at a high rate of speed."
Just south of Keystone Road, the motorcyclist overtook and collided with the rear of a Dodge Ram pickup truck, driven by a 67-year-old from Port Richey.
The 22-year-old was rushed to the hospital where he died from injuries he suffered during the crash. The pickup truck driver was not hurt in the crash.
The crash shut down East Lake Road in the area until just before 9 a.m., the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies said they were called to assist FHP while investigating the crash.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the sheriff's office said it was assisting Florida Highway Patrol troopers. A later tweet confirmed the roadway opened before 9 a.m.
"Deputies are assisting FHP with a serious crash in the southbound lanes of East Lake Road, just south of Keystone Road," the tweet said. "The roadway will be shutdown for several hours. Please avoid the area and find an alternate route."