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Miami police issue lane-change citation after cyclist and surgeon was struck on Rickenbacker Causeway
A driver received a traffic summons after Miami police concluded an Aug. 29 crash that critically injured orthopedic surgeon Gilbert Beauperthuy-Rojas involved an improper lane change, but no criminal intent. The 63-year-old remains in intensive care, his family said.
A driver who struck Miami orthopedic surgeon Gilbert Beauperthuy-Rojas as he rode his bicycle on the Rickenbacker Causeway was issued a traffic summons for an improper lane change, Miami police said Thursday.
The citation was issued Wednesday after an investigation and consultations with assistant state attorneys. Police said investigators found no criminal intent in the Aug. 29 collision on Virginia Key.
Beauperthuy-Rojas, 63, was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center after the crash. His relatives said Thursday that he remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
His brother-in-law, Carlos G. Mendia, previously said the surgeon suffered injuries to his liver and kidneys, cuts across his body and a spinal cord injury. Mendia said doctors’ initial indications were that Beauperthuy-Rojas had no movement below the waist. He said the surgeon had been riding alone in the designated bike lane when an SUV hit him.
After the crash, Mendia called on public officials to address cyclist safety on the causeway. “It’s extremely dangerous,” he said, urging officials to find a solution.
Beauperthuy-Rojas is affiliated with HCA Florida Mercy Hospital and formerly served as president of the Miami Orthopaedic Society. Hospital colleagues have described him as a respected physician and valued member of the medical community.