Motorcycle rider killed when car hits him near Zephyrhills, troopers say

ZEPHYRHILLS — A 40-year-old motorcycle rider was killed when a car passing traffic slammed into him nearly head-on before dawn Monday on Paul Buchman Highway, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The rider was headed south along the highway, also known as State Road 39, as a man driving the northbound car entered his lane to pass traffic, the Highway Patrol said. They collided nearly head-on.

The crash occurred about 5:45 a.m. just south of County Line Road in Hillsborough County.

The driver of the car, 52, received minor injuries. Both men are from Zephyrhills.

The Highway Patrol did not identify them because of its interpretation of Marsy’s Law, a voter-approved amendment to the state Constitution that was meant to protect crime victims but that deprives the public of information long available under Florida’s public records law.