Investigators believe the cyclist involved in an altercation that left a newspaper delivery driver dead in an apparent road rage confrontation Wednesday morning was justified.
According to St. Petersburg Police spokesperson Mike Puetz, the cyclist, whom Bay News 9 is not identifying, told officers he was riding his bike just before 3 a.m. when a delivery van cut him off while the van traveled the wrong way on 5th Avenue North in the westbound lanes.
An argument between the driver, Teddy Eugene Huff, 59, of St. Petersburg, and the cyclist broke out.
"From the bicyclist description of their interaction, they had a very close call that kind of upset the bicyclist," Puetz said, "to the point where he made a comment to the driver." At some point, Huff allegedly pulled out an ax handle and threatened the cyclist, Puetz said. The two men fought for the ax handle and the cyclist punched Huff in the face.
The cyclist told officers he got away from Huff and stated he was calling police. Huff reportedly put the ax handle back in the van and appeared alert for roughly a minute, but started to stumble and suddenly fell backward, striking his head on the pavement.
Officers arrived at 201 Fifth Ave. N. to find Huff unconscious without an apparent pulse. He was taken into St. Anthony's Hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead.
Investigators said a witness' statement matched the cyclist's recount of events in the altercation, but Huff's friends said the story doesn't add up with the man they knew.
His coworker, Jennifer Woods, said the driver's death is impossible for her to believe. "He was the sweetest of men," she said, "and I want people to know, if there is one person that can make sure he doesn’t die thinking that he was some beast or some angry, nasty man; he was a good man.”
Woods also hopes investigators continue to look into the case. "I’m hoping that they keep the investigation open and they find out exactly what happened," she said. "This man would never -- he would never go after anyone unless his life was in danger, unless he was terrified.”
“Even if this is the case, where maybe the actions of bicyclist had a contributing issue to the death of this man," Puetz said, "we’re still going to take into consideration that there was a weapon produced by the van driver.”
The cyclist was interviewed by homicide detectives at police headquarters, but no charges have been filed at this time. Surveillance cameras are installed at the hospital, but none appeared to capture the fight.
Huff's exact cause of death will be determined by a medical examiner, but investigators said there are indications the driver had previous medical issues and injuries consistent with his fall to the pavement.
Investigators first reported the weapon was a bat, but further investigation showed the weapon was an ax handle. The man was delivering newspapers for the Tampa Bay Times, Puetz said.