Dr. Gilbert Beauperthuy-Rojas, a 63-year-old orthopedic surgeon at HCA Florida Mercy Hospital, remains hospitalized with a spinal cord injury after a driver in a sport utility vehicle struck him while he was cycling in a designated bike lane on the Rickenbacker Causeway. The crash happened around 8:30 a.m. Saturday near 3501 Rickenbacker Causeway, close to Virginia Key, leaving Beauperthuy-Rojas with no movement or ability to move from the waist down, according to his longtime friend.
The collision was first reported by WPLG Local 10, whose reporting forms the basis of most details in this account. Beauperthuy-Rojas suffered cuts across his body along with liver and kidney lacerations in addition to the spinal injury, and Miami Fire Rescue transported him to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. He remains at Jackson Memorial as of the outlet’s report. The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with police, per the outlet’s report, and the Miami Police Department is investigating the cause of the crash.
Carlos G. Mendia, 62, said Beauperthuy-Rojas was riding alone in the designated bicycle lane when the SUV struck him. Mendia, who introduced his friend to cycling back in 2010, described the toll of the injury bluntly, per the same account: Beauperthuy-Rojas currently has no movement or ability to move from the waist down. Mendia is now calling on public officials to find a solution to the dangers of cycling on the Rickenbacker Causeway.
A Respected Surgeon Known Across Miami’s Orthopedic Community
Beauperthuy-Rojas is a former president of the Miami Orthopaedic Society who has treated patients with sports injuries and degenerative conditions for decades. Henry Garcia, a spokesman for HCA Florida Mercy Hospital, described him as a great physician and a great person, according to the outlet’s report. The article was authored by Andrea Torres and Bridgette Matter.
A Causeway With a Long, Deadly History for Cyclists
The Rickenbacker Causeway is a 3.6-mile scenic arterial that serves as the only land route into Virginia Key and Key Biscayne, and it draws an estimated 500,000 cyclists and 250,000 pedestrians each year, according to WLRN. Despite that traffic, the corridor has a grim record of severe collisions. In May 2022, two cyclists, 48-year-old Yaudys Vera and 46-year-old Ogniana Reyes, were struck and killed by a driver operating a Jeep near the causeway’s toll plaza, as reported by CBS Miami. Just last August, Hoodline reported that a 54-year-old cyclist was killed after colliding with an electric dirt bike on the same causeway…