Man sentenced to 10 years after striking, killing bicyclist
A Cape Coral was recently sentenced to prison for killing a bicyclist in a 2015 hit-and-run crash.
Timothy Wayne Turner, 49, of 2203 N.E. 15th Terrace, was adjudicated guilty Oct. 6 and sentenced to 10 years in state prison – four years minimum mandatory – followed by 10 years of probation.
In addition, the judge ordered that Turner driver’s license be suspended for 12 years and he must complete 120 hours of community service and substance abuse counseling, attend a Victim Impact Panel, high-risk driver school and trauma center high-rick school, and pay restitution in the case.
Assistant State Attorney Joshua Fredrickson handed the case.
“We agree with the sentence and respect the court’s decision,” he said on Tuesday.
Turner was represented by Assistant Public Defender Phoebe Bruce.
She did not return a message on Tuesday seeking comment on the sentencing.
On July 27, Turner’s trial was to begin, but he avoided the process last-minute by pleading straight to the court. He pleaded no contest to one count of hit and run fail to stop remain at crash involving death.
Turner was arrested and charged Feb. 2, 2015, in the death of Joel Scott Nichols, 27, of 1504 N.E. 13th St. Nichols had been riding a bicycle in the 1300 block Northeast Pine Island Road the night before when he was struck and killed, according to reports. His body was discovered the following morning.
Based on a witness account, police were able to release the color, make and estimated age of the vehicle believed to have struck Nichols: a mid-to-late 1990s, white, Dodge pickup truck.
Following up on a tip, Cape police responded to Turner’s home and found a truck with “heavy front right and passenger side damage” parked on the east side of the residence in a vacant lot, officials said. When police knocked on the front door, Turner said he was the driver and wanted to turn himself in.
Turner told police that he was driving home at about 8 p.m. when he hit something with his truck and pulled off on the side of the road, according to reports. After looking and not seeing anything, he got scared and left the area.
Turner later stated that he saw the bicycle at the last minute, riding in his lane.
While awaiting his trial, Turner was arrested and charged May 28 by the Pinellas Park Police Department in Pinellas County with one count of driving under the influence, official records state.