By Danny Valentine, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
ST. PETERSBURG — A 59-year-old St. Petersburg man riding a scooter died Tuesday night after colliding with a motorized wheelchair, police said.
Thomas L. Wiemken was ejected after hitting the wheelchair on Fourth Street N and 14th Avenue about 10 p.m., police said. Wiemken died at Bayfront Medical Center. He was not wearing a helmet.
Wiemken was southbound on Fourth Street N when he struck Robert W. Kurczaba, 56, of St. Petersburg, who was crossing Fourth Street diagonally midblock near 14th Avenue.
Kurczaba was taken to St. Anthony's Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police were not yet assigning blame in the unusual crash. An important question is whether Kurczaba was a pedestrian or a motorist as he operated the wheelchair, said St. Petersburg police spokesman Mike Puetz.
People operating wheelchairs are typically considered pedestrians, but because Kurczaba's is motorized, police must consult Florida statutes and prosecutors before charges are considered.
Police also must determine if the scooter driver was doing anything wrong.
Follow This Just In on Twitter.
