Warwick man killed after being hit by car in Florida

BY ERIKA NORTON
WARWICK — A Warwick man was killed while riding a bicycle along a sidewalk in Collier County, Florida, on Monday, Feb. 18, when he was hit by a car that veered off the road following a crash.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, Robert Miniger, 65, of Warwick, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said that at around 2:25 p.m., a 2012 Honda CRV and a 1992 Chevy C/K 1500 truck were travelling eastbound on Bonita Beach Road, west of Imperial Shores Boulevard. Miniger was riding a bicycle on the south sidewalk of the same road.
The Honda CRV, driven by Steven Hodge, 72, of PeeWee Valley, Kentucky, was in the left lane. The Chevy truck, driven by Brandon Strickler, 27, of Fort Myers, was within the right lane.
The Highway Patrol said Hodge changed lanes from the left lane to the right lane, violating Strickler’s right of way. As a result, the right rear side of Hodge’s vehicle struck the left front side of Strickler’s truck.
Hodge’s car rotated clockwise and jumped the curb of Bonita Beach Road, striking Miniger and a tree located to the south of the sidewalk.
Hodge’s car came to final rest off the roadway, south of the sidewalk facing east, while Strickler’s truck came to a controlled stop on the south sidewalk.
The Highway Paterol said that Hodge and his passenger, Kate Hodge, 71, suffered minor injuries.
Strickler was not injured.
According to FHP, the crash was not alcohol-related and that Miniger was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
No charges had been filed as of Wednesday afternoon.
Miniger believed in ‘the endless potential of human beings’According to the State University of New York at New Paltz website, Miniger was awarded the Dean's Award of Excellence and was inducted into the School of Business Hall of Fame.
He served as the chair of the SUNY New Paltz Business Advisory Council's Internship Subcommittee, according to his hall of fame bio.
“Miniger has the unique ability to cause people to exceed their own capabilities and sees this as his primary accountability. He strives for excellence and believes in the endless potential of human beings,” his hall of fame bio reads. “He is generous with his time, donating countless volunteer hours to the School of Business simply because it gives him joy to contribute to the School and our business students.”