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Escambia Man Killed In Motorcycle Crash
August 27, 2016
A motorcyclist was killed in a traffic crash Friday afternoon on Pine Forest Road.
Austin Rickmers, 23, was pronounced deceased at the scene of the accident on Pine Forest Road near Loblolly Road. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Rickmers was southbound on Pine Forest Road when 72-year old Judy Courtney of Robertsdale entered the roadway from a driveway entrance in a Ford F-150 pickup and traveled into Rickmers’ path.
Judy Courtney and her 66-year old passenger, Russel Courtney, were transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries.
Any charges in the crash are pending the outcome of a traffic homicide investigation.
Reader submitted cellphone for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
30 Responses to “Escambia Man Killed In Motorcycle Crash”
We are almost to the 2 year anniversary of my nephew Austin’s death. He was a wonderful young man and his family is still mourning his loss. We are comforted that he has gone home to be with God, our father. His death has left a whole in our family that can never be filled.
LOVE YOU AUSTIN AND WILL MISS YOU ALWAYS!!
I am so sorry for all family members affected by this tragedy. I’m sure no one set out Friday evening to have an accident and certainly never PLANNED for someone to lose their life and leave a grieving family. I’m just curious about the car that witnesses said pulled over on the bike rider that caused him to have to change lanes and be in the truck’s blind spot, whether the truck made an illegal move or not?? Did that car stop?? Did anyone get the make model or tag number of said car?? And if this driver is contacted, will this driver also face a ticket or court case?? I, just like many of you, was no where near Pine Forest Friday afternoon so I did not see the scene for myself. I just have not heard anything on the 3rd vehicle except that it cut in front of the motorcyclist and caused him to try to avoid an accident with that car. It just sounds to me as if the motorcyclist was the only one who was driving responsibly and defensively; and sadly the only one who paid the price for apparently more than one other driver’s mistake. Prayers continue for all parties involved, whether they were at the scene, or elsewhere unaware that they were about to receive horrifying news.
It is a horrible tragedy. I live near where this happened, and blaming the victim is a horrible mistake. He had the right of way. I’m sure the driver of the truck feels very bad, but there is a Right turn only at Loblolly. She should never have tried to get into the median, and if she was coming from the store there she shouldn’t have pulled out there – Period. To say that he was speeding because you have seen people on motorcycles speed there is just ridiculousness. She is at fault, accidentally I’m certain, and this accident took his life. Such a sad accident, but if we all try and learn from accidents maybe we can prevent them. I, for one, will try to drive more carefully every day.
Look its sad when a life is took from us no matter the age or how…if it’s going to happen there’s nothing we can do to prevent loss of life I know first hand just how true those words are. I was in a bike wreck in Blackwater forest may 23 2013 as a passenger he took a 90 degree to fast sending us airborne and slidding 200 feet before stopping he walked away….I was not so lucky but once I healed I was back on my husband died in my arms in Jan this year and no matter how hard I worked on him til help got to us at home he was gone he wasn’t sick..he and I was making our yearly plans and then our lives changed god bless y’all ride free ride hard but ride safe watch out for others as our angels watch over us
Did not know this family, sorry for your loss, this happen to my family to,so I understand your grief, the only thing you can do now is to support motorcycle safety and awareness, and repeal the florida helmet law ,which is inappropriate and as nothing to do with freedom of choice, it’s all about safety and awareness. .
Yes accidents do happen look left right left and check again as it all happens so fast. I’m sure the driver thought it was clear as I can’t believe she would do this on purpose. Remember your comments as one day you may be the one pulling out in front of someone. praying for all.
I was a friend of Austin’s. He was a great guy. I offer my deepest condolences to his family. Whether we are a car driver or a motorcycle rider, may we all remember that a moment of inattention on the road can cost someone’s life. And please, check twice for motorcycles. Goodbye, Austin. You will be missed.
Sick of this: so whats your point? If you ride a motorbike and someone else in a vehicle kills the motorbike rider, its ok? Im trying to understand your logic…
Renee…we went to game too…imagine this, the driver got to go home, no problems…
WAY TO MUCH SPECULATION!!!
I ride a motorcycle every day down pine forest (I live there) I was ran over by a hit and run Last August sitting at a red lite on Mobile Hy. Tomorrow will be a year.
This is tragic, more so obviously for the boy on the bike. But it is tragic for the older couple in the truck as well. They will live with this the rest of there life. I feel real confident in saying if she could go back an do it over she would look twice before pulling out.. Doubt she saw the motorcycle. Motorcycles are hard to see some times. When I ride I am totally on the defense. I ride like every car out there is trying to run over me.
The Funeral Procession:
The mourners,
especially the younger ones,
were a bit rowdier before,
but approaching the funeral everyone fell
silent.
I tried to turn the other way,
I’ve always hated viewings (so tacky)
but the black gloved ushers won’t let me.
“Drive forward, drive forward” his rhythmic gesture in time with blue lights.
I try to avert my eyes but they drift on their own
a carnal curiosity.
The whiteness of your shroud gleamed pearl like
against the black casket of highway.
The accoutrements left behind by those kneeling at your side,
IV bags
gauze
needles.
Our minds drift to that mom, friend, partner, child
out there not knowing
yet.
A message whizzing around our heads like a bullet heading towards a heart.
S.T. RIP Austin
PEOPLE, PEOPLE… No matter if it’s a semi truck, motorcycle , or bicycle..ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN… Some more preventable than others, but HEY… only the good Lord can say why, how , who, or even knows WHEN an accident can be expected.. I will say this tho….: : I don’t ride motorcycles, but I can say for sure, an absolute certainty , that folks FLY by us when we ride horses.. Coming and going, seldom give an inch even when there is nothing on coming.. The driver is in control of a motor vehicle… A horse has a mind of its own.. They have feelings and fears and function as an individual could..And THANK GOD for good horses, bc it actually puts me on high alert to try to ride around here.,NOT of the 1200 lb animal I am trusting with my life, But the selfish , disrespectful drivers zooming by, usually speeding,and never pay attention to the fact that there is potential for Tragedy !!!I’m surprised we haven’t read about any of those “PREVENTABLE” accidents yet.. All I am saying is..Let’s watch out for one another, let’s share the road and THINK about others… Prayers for these families.. Their Tragedy is NOW.. GOD BLESS
Thank you again for covering this tragic event/story. I hope it enlightens everyone to be more careful. May GOD COMFORT THE FAMILY OF ALL INVOLVED.
When i passed by, the deceased was still there. He was in the North Bound side of pine forest road, so was the truck…the driver of the truck should be arrested and charged with vehic homicide, accident or not…if im cleaning my pistol and it accidently goes off and shoots someone in the head and kills them…oh well it was an accodent?? Too many negligent drivers in this town.
No matter what you feel about motorcyclists, if you have any empathy at all, you couldn’t help but be affected by this event if you came upon the scene as I and my husband did last night on our way to the Pine Forest high school football game.
We passed by an hour or so after that young man’s death, not knowing much except what we saw. But we saw a lot during our slow approach in the line of traffic. The moment of his death was crystallized in the scene. You could see exactly where he broadsided the truck, right in the middle between the cab and bed, and how he was thrown forward 30-40 feet, while the motorcycle slid backwards and stopped 30 feet behind. It was clearly the truck driver’s fault. The cyclist had the right-of-way. The most chilling part was seeing that sheet-covered body laying in the street, realizing someone was dead and had just died right there; someone who, just a short while before, was out for his Friday evening, just like I was. And right there, in that spot, in one single moment of time, his plans and his life ended. Now, all around, the business of the night went on as usual. The wreck was cleared, Pine Forest won, and by the time the game was over, when we passed that spot again, you couldn’t tell anything out of the ordinary had happened.
Once again, I thought of some “body” who left home for a nice evening out, now laying in the morgue, while at the end of my evening out, I was going home to my bed. My “normal” life continues, and for some grieving family, a new normal begins. All on the same day.
So tired of hearing all of this blame. Accidents happen. People don’t pay attention and accidents happen. Some people don’t see school buses or semis! The fact is that accidents will always happen. So if you ride a motorcycle among automobiles, you are talking the risk. The same could have happened if the man had been in a car, but he might have survived with more metal around him.
God Bless both families, as they are both permanently changed forever.
All vechicles should watch out for each other. Both cars and motorcycles speed and drive crazy if you say you never broke the law on purpose or accidently then you are so perfect. We all make mistakes , some deadly some not. we must strive to work together. As in the words of Rodney King, Can’t we all just get along.
Sue:
Firstly, this young man was a responsible citizen from personal experience. Whilst I can’t attest to his rate of travel, it’s bears almost no relevance. A motorcycle is a motorcycle. Unless he was setting a land speed record he would have been visible for quite a ways from that intersection.
Secondly, just because he was on a motorcycle doesn’t mean he was speeding. People speed in cars, and people are much more hesitant to blame the victim in those instances.
There’s no excuse. The lady made a deadly mistake. Period. Take it for what it is and don’t try to shift blame.
My family and I were across the street eating and saw all the police cars with lights on when we pulled up to the restaurant. We knew it was something bad. When we left, we saw that young man’s body on the street partially covered by a sheet..It upset me so badly that he was there alone. Of course, there were police there but he still was alone. Instead for fightering over motercycles, think about how quickly our lives can be over and Austin’s family.
Please pray for this young man.I can’t stand hearing you guys say watch out for motorcycles.There are so many cyclists who ride done the road speeding.weaving in and out of traffic. And yes your correct they can’t stop on a dime so that’s more than enough reason for you to slow down.I can name a couple people who wrecked their bike and one died because he was racing in cantonment . So to all of you cyclist slow down.WATCH OUT FOR VEHICLES.
Karen Mc, what did I say? I passed by the accident and prayed for all involved.
This is my first and only comment on this tragedy.
KarenMac ,you see the ignorance and hate directed to us by people that have never rode a bike in their life ! You can’t educate people like that ,you are right all you can do is make the punishment so severe that they think twice before they kill us !! If the situation was reversed and a biker had killed a little old lady can you imagine the uproar?
I’m saddened by the victim blaming. If he was changing lanes, which is pure speculation, just let the motorcyclist pass before you pull out. Just a few seconds of patience, if she even saw him, would have saved a life. Everyone needs to slow down period. My condolences to his family. Way too young to die. So sad =(
KarenMc – None of us were there. Yes, according to the article she did pull out in front of him. But, how do you know he wasn’t going 70-80 MPH on Pine Forest Road, and weaving traffic? Which I have personally seen some impatient young bikers do.
So sad… what a waste…
No Alex! Motorcyclists don’t think they ‘own’ the road!! Obviously this gentleman is deceased because of the negligence of an automobile driver. He was lawfully traveling south when SHE violated HIS right of way by pulling into HIS path. Motorcycles can’t stop on a dime & she is solely responsible for his death & SHOULD be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Maybe automobile drivers would start paying attention to motorcycles if they knew they would be charged w/manslaughter for their deaths! By the way, I drive a car & also ride a motorcycle. I’ve had MANY close encounters of people pulling out in front of me while riding so I don’t ride as frequently as I used to ride. It’s a sad reality that drivers are more concerned with talking & texting rather than paying attention while driving. I’m not saying this lady was engaging in those activities, but the majority of drivers do! Praying for the young man’s family.
Look left, right and left again. It will help prevent these accidents. A motor cycle is narrow and hard to see. She will state she never saw him. He probably didn’t have time to react. I feel sorry for all of them.
Please, everyone watch out for motorcycles. I ride and we’ve had people pull out in front of us, if it wasn’t for my husband being as cautious as he is we would have hit the vehicle. Come to find out out she was arguing with her kids while pulling out. My thoughts and prayers are with both families.
Praying for everyone involved,especially the deceased family and friends.
Praying for this young man’s family.
So glad my husband sold his bike. He is a safe rider, but it’s the vehicle drivers I do not trust. Look Twice for Motorcycles!