COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A 19-year-old bicyclist from Lehigh Acres was killed in a fatal hit-and-run crash on State Road 29, and authorities have arrested a 42-year-old Immokalee man in connection with the deadly collision.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at approximately 8:40 p.m. on August 14, 2026, on State Road 29 south of State Road 82 in Collier County.
The bicyclist’s body was discovered several days later, on August 17, prompting investigators to launch a traffic homicide investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
FHP’s Traffic Homicide Investigation Unit later identified a Dodge pickup truck in Estero that investigators said appeared to have damage consistent with the fatal crash. Troopers also determined that both headlights on the vehicle had reportedly been replaced following the collision.
The pickup truck was impounded for further forensic examination as investigators worked to gather additional evidence.
Authorities subsequently arrested Pedro Fernando, 42, of Immokalee. He was booked into the Collier County Jail on charges of leaving the scene of a traffic crash involving death and tampering with evidence.
The arrest is an allegation, and Fernando is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
For the victim’s family and loved ones, the tragedy represents the devastating loss of a young life that ended far too soon. The circumstances surrounding the crash have also left investigators working to establish a complete account of what happened that August night.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional information may be released as authorities continue their forensic examination and review of the evidence.
The 19-year-old bicyclist will be remembered by loved ones as they mourn a life tragically cut short on a Collier County roadway.
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