Driver who killed cyclist "distracted" by oral sex, say police

A motorist in the United States who struck and killed a cyclist in a hit and run incident was allegedly receiving oral sex at the time of the fatal collision, near Auburndale, Florida, last Saturday.

The claim was made by the passenger in the vehicle, a woman staying at a hotel in Winter Haven who had met the driver, Randy Joe Allen, at a bar called the Midway Lounge, reports WFLA.com.

The crash claimed the life of 49-year-old Terry Lamunt Ross, who had been riding his bike eastbound on the hard shoulder of US Highway 92 West when he was hit by a Ford F-250 pick-up truck. He died at the scene.

Witnesses to the crash took down part of the registration of the vehicle, and police who arrived at his house were told he was likely to be at the Liquid Larry's Bar in Lakeland.

They discovered the pick-up truck there and found that the front and passenger side of the vehicle were damaged and that the passenger door had blood on it.

According to Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) spokeswoman Carrie Horstman, Allen claimed he had been “distracted” at the time of the incident.

Officers who interviewed him noted his speech was slurred and that his breath smelt of alcohol. Tests have been conducted to establish if he was over the limit for alcohol at the time of the collision.

Deputies subsequently traced the passenger who said she had been performing oral sex on him at the time, and that when she heard a bump he claimed that he had hit a road sign.

Allen has been arrested on seven previous occasions including for driving under the influence.

In a statement published on Facebook on Sunday, the sheriff's office confirmed he had been arrested for leaving the scene of a crash involving death.

The post from PCSO added: “We would like to commend the witness who gave us the vehicle description, including partial tag number, and who stopped to render aid to the victim.

“This is another example of how, with the help of our community, that we are able to successfully solve crimes and put criminals in jail.

“The victim was a homeless man who was identified through fingerprint analysis. His out-of-state family was notified of his death.

“Randy Allen faces more charges after deputies receive the results of his blood analysis,” the statement concluded.