Deputy thrown from motorcycle in crash with SUV

Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Tina Hall reported to Historic City News that a St Johns County Sheriff’s motorcycle deputy was involved in a crash and transported to Flagler Hospital in serious condition.

At about 4:40 p.m. this afternoon, a blue 2007 Nissan X-terra SUV, driven by 43-year-old Thomas Emick of St Augustine, was stopped in westbound traffic on SR-16, east of St. Francis Road near the scene of an earlier crash.

Deputy Thomas Bickhart, 30-years-old of St Augustine, was operating a department assigned 2015 BMW R1200RT motorcycle, marked with flashing red and blue lights and an audible siren, traveling westbound in the eastbound lane of SR-16, responding to the earlier traffic crash.

Emick attempted a U-Turn maneuver with his Nissan SUV in an effort to avoid the stopped traffic, but he failed to see the emergency vehicle approaching from his rear.

Deputy Bickhart attempted to steer left to avoid a collision but was unsuccessful. The front right side of the motorcycle struck the front left side of the Nissan, throwing Bickhart from the motorcycle onto the grassy shoulder of SR-16.

Bickhart was transported to Flagler hospital in St. Augustine for treatment. Emick sustained no injuries. The driver of the Nissan was cited for improper/unsafe U-Turn.