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Clearwater police: Impaired driver hits, kills motorcyclist on Courtney Campbell Causeway

A 57-year-old man admitted to smoking drugs and had surgery earlier in the day, police said.
Credit: Clearwater Police Department
Wilbur French

CLEARWATER, Fla. — A man faces charges of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in a deadly crash late Saturday on the Courtney Campbell Causeway, police said.

It happened around 11:22 p.m., according to a Clearwater Police Department news release.

Police say 57-year-old Wilbur French was heading west and made a left turn into a path of a motorcycle, driven by 29-year-old Edward Jimenez. There were cones in place to prevent people from making turns at that point on the causeway, according to officers.

Jimenez died in the crash.

French was taken to an area hospital as he showed signs of impairment, police said. He reportedly admitted to smoking crack cocaine earlier in the day, and it later was learned he had surgery Saturday and left the medical facility against the advice of doctors, according to the department. 

French had been given narcotics after surgery, as well, police said.

The eastbound lanes heading to Tampa were closed for several hours starting at Bayshore Boulevard. They have since reopened to traffic.

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