PORT CANAVERAL, Florida — The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting that 21-year-old Derek Ryan Riesgraf of Cocoa, Florida died as the result of injuries he sustained after being run over by a car on the Beachline Expressway around 4:10 a.m. Saturday morning near Port Canaveral, Florida.
35-year-old Dorsten Hills of Merritt Island, Florida was driving a 1998 Saturn eastbound in the outside lane on State Road 528 (Beachline Expressway) near mile marker 53. FHP troopers say that for an unknown reason, Riesgraf was laying down in the roadway within the eastbound outside lane in the path of the Saturn’s travel.
FHP troopers determined that Hills attempted to take evasive action by steering the Saturn to the left – but was unable to avoid a collision with Riesgraf. Consequently, the Saturn’s right side tires and undercarriage collided into Riesgraf. The Saturn was at a final rest on the outside lane paved shoulder of State Road 528 while Riesgraf was at final rest facing south within the outside lane.