Motorcyclist Dies in Hit-and-Run

A Panama City Beach man has died from injuries he sustained as the victim of hit-and-run accident. According to police, 60-year-old Francis Lamorgese was riding his motorcycle westbound on US 98 when a car pulled out in front of him, causing Lamorgese to collide with and rip apart the rear bumper of the vehicle.

The driver of the car initially fled the scene, failing to help the critically-wounded motorcyclist. But eventually, 17-year-old Carrie Diane French came forward as the driver, turning herself in after police circulated pictures of her leaving a nearby convenience store around the time of the accident. French is being charged with driving without a valid driver’s license while causing a death, and fleeing the scene of a fatal crash. Lamorgese was hospitalized following the accident, where he eventually succumbed to his injuries.

Nobody deserves to lose a life because of the irresponsible behavior of another. Many tragic deaths, including this one, can be prevented if drivers paid the attention to the road that it deserves.