VENICE, FL : Victim in bicycle crash was family man on Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Venice police have identified the bicyclist who died Tuesday morning while trying to cross the southbound lane of U.S. 41, near Eagle Point Drive, as 78-year-old Mickey Johnson of Nokomis.

Johnson, who moved to Nokomis almost 40 years ago, had deep ties to the community, especially at Venice-Nokomis United Method Church, where he served on a variety of boards.“We’re all just really, completely heartbroken; we’d known each other a long time,” said Robin Deegan, the church’s community outreach coordinator, who had known Johnson and his family for 35 years.

“He was a very gentle man — not just a gentleman — a very gentle man,” Deegan continued. “Very soft-spoken, a man who adored his family, thought that his grandchildren hung the moon and set out the stars, was completely dedicated to his wife.”

Venice Police are investigating his death as a traffic homicide. According to police, Antony A.B. Alexander, 24, of Venice, is believed to have been driving the vehicle that struck Johnson about 9:25 a.m. Tuesday, just north of the light at the Venice Bypass split. However, the passenger in the vehicle, Dillon Cooper, 24, of Bradenton, initially told officers that he was the driver.

Source :
Victim in bicycle crash was family man