RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Lori Chez rides her bike with her dog, Mitzi, on North Ocean Boulevard at least three times a week. That is, until Chez says she was hit by a car right in front of Ocean Reef Park a day after Thanksgiving.
“It was scary,” said Chez. “I haven't got back on a bicycle.”
She says she’s lucky to have escaped with a concussion and a couple sprains. She says she always rides with lights and reflectors.
But cars driving way too fast is a regular occurrence.
“Something has to be done,” said Chez.
So, WPTV’s Michael Hoffman requested a record of all the citations and written warnings given to drivers over the past year. The Riviera Beach Police Department tells him that over the last year, there have been 50 citations and written warnings issued in the area where Chez says she was hit, and 37 were for speeding. Other infractions included failure to yield, passing in a no-passing zone and driving without a seat belt.
“We're not out here to hurt people's pockets,” said Sgt. Brian DeSantis with Riviera Beach Police Department’s Road Patrol and Traffic Enforcement team. “But we're out here to promote safety, and we're out here to educate sometimes, especially in an area like this."
During Hoffman’s chat with Chez, she said she wanted more safety measures such as cameras and speed bumps. Hoffman asked Sgt. DeSantis if that is coming in the future and he says it's unclear for now. In the meantime, officers will be out here frequently conducting speed checks to keep drivers in check, but it’s a two-way street for those on four wheels or two.
“We are out here,” said Sgt. DeSantis. “We do have eyes on the roadway, and we are doing what we can do to go ahead and ensure that both our vehicle operators and our pedestrians remain safe in this stretch of the roadway.”
As for Chez, she is just thankful she and her dog are okay.
“She is my life,” said Chez. “Thank God she didn't get hurt."
