ONE KILLED IN ACCIDENT IN RURAL CHARLOTTE

ONE MAN WAS KILLED AND ANOTHER INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT IN RURAL CHARLOTTE COUNTY YESTERDAY.  THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS 46 YEAR OLD CHARLES JOHNSON OF FORT PIERCE WAS EASTBOUND ON BERMONT ROAD, ABOUT TWELVE AND A HALF MILES EAST OF STATE ROAD 31 AT AROUND 3:20PM WHEN HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN A SINGLE LANE AND TRAVELED INTO THE PATH OF TWO HARLEYS; ONE DRIVEN BY 64 YEAR OLD DAVID PIEHLER OF ENGLEWOOD AND THE OTHER BY 63 YEAR OLD THOMAS BROOKS OF ROTONDA WEST.  BOTH MOTORCYCLISTS TRIED TO HIT THE BRAKES, BUT BOTH WERE EJECTED ONTO THE ROADWAY.  JOHNSON DID AVOID HITTING EITHER RIDER WITH HIS PICKUP, BUT PIEHLER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE WHILE BROOKS WAS TAKEN TO LEE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN CRITICAL CONDITION.  NEITHER RIDER WAS WEARING A HELMET.  TROOPERS SAY ALCOHOL WAS NOT A FACTOR AND CHARGES ARE PENDING THE COMPLETION OF THEIR INVESTIGATION.