ENGLEWOOD, Fla. (WINK)—A 23-year-old man is dead after a crash Monday afternoon sent two drivers flying off their vehicles on State Road 776.

The crash happened when a motorcycle and a Gator utility vehicle collided. The 65-year-old driving the utility vehicle was taken to the hospital, according to the crash report.

The motorcyclist was pronounced dead on scene, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Robert Alstead was sitting inside a nearby bar when he heard the crash.

“I was sitting there having a good time, and next thing I hear this morale, and then bang, and then I see a body fly across the road, it was devastating,” Alstead said.

WINK News spoke with Alstead, who rushed outside to help moments after the crash happened. As an ex-firefighter, Alstead went to check on the scene.

“Being an ex firefighter, I went to check everything out, and unfortunately saw misfortune,” Alstead said.

The Florida Highway Patrol says the motorcycle traveled north when it changed lanes and hit the side of the utility vehicle as it crossed the road. Both people involved were pushed off their vehicles.

“I just can’t believe that this happened like this,” Alstead said.

Drivers in the area saw the road closed for hours after the impact. Alstead told Zarcone the area is a golf cart community where residents use the road to go to the store and visit neighbors.

“We use it to go to the store. We go to our neighbor’s house, you know. We have fun. We don’t get reckless, you know. It’s just. it’s a golf cart community,” Alstead said.

Alstead believes this crash and the many others he’s seen in the area could be prevented if people slowed down. He pointed to a fire light for the fire station that turns on and off when they get calls, suggesting it could operate like a traffic light.

“That’s a fire light, that’s for the fire station, and they turn it on and turn it off when they get calls, but why not operate it just like down here at Riverwood? They have an operational light. I don’t see what it would hurt, but nobody wants to do anything about it,” Alstead said.

The Florida Highway Patrol has not said whether speed was a factor in this crash. The investigation remains active.

Nicholas Karsen is a Digital Specialist and has been with WINK News since May 2023.