FHP Investigating Motorcyclist's Death

SEBRING - The Florida Highway Patrol was investigating Friday the death of Francis Duplessie, 90, of Avon Park, who was injured in a U.S. 27 north motorcycle crash on April 24.

He was pronounced dead at Tampa General Hospital.

Hospital spokesman John Dunn said Friday that Duplessie had died, but said due to HIPPA privacy laws he could not give the time or day.

However, a spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Medical Examiners Office confirmed he died on Sunday, May 4. She said the cause of death was still pending investigation.

Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott Hull said there were no criminal charges pending that he knew of against the driver of a Chevrolet pickup truck who made a U-turn in front of Duplessie.

Duplessie was going north on U.S. 27 on his 2004 Yamaha motorcycle near the intersection of Bramblewood Road. The truck driven by Aldo M. Argueta, 32, of Lake Wales, made a U-turn from southbound U.S. 27 onto northbound U.S. 27, in front of Duplessie.

There was no sign of alcohol, Hull said. There was no sign that Duplessie was going too fast.
"We're still in the investigative phase of it," Hull said.

Crash investigators were still waiting for a determination of the cause of death from the medical examiner's office, he said.

Trooper Paul Miller, who helped investigate the crash scene, reported that tire marks indicated that Duplessie tried to brake, but was unable to avoid the crash.

The motorcycle hit the right side of the Chevrolet and flipped coming to a stop in the center lane of U.S. 27.

Duplessie was taken first to Florida Hospital Heartland Division and was then airlifted to Tampa General. Argueta was uninjured in the crash, the report stated.

The motorcycle sustained $4,000 damage and the pickup truck had $1,500 in damage.