PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A 74-year-old driver accidentally turned onto a closed section of a triathlon course in Palm Beach County on Sunday morning, hitting two bicyclists and leaving a woman in critical condition.
The crash happened during the second annual Bill Bone Olympic Triathlon at Okeeheelee Park. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the driver ignored safety measures, but will likely not face charges because deputies believe it was an accident.
WATCH BELOW: Organizer 'shaken ... to the core' after cyclists hurt during triathlon
Bill Bone, the race organizer and an attorney who specializes in bike law, told WPTV reporter Kayla McDermott on Monday that thousands of dollars were spent on 3,000-plus cones, signs, volunteers and sheriff's deputies to keep the hundreds of athletes safe.
"The riskiest part of a triathlon is the bike ride," Bone told WPTV. "This injured athlete was on track for one of the best results."
The high-profile race was designed for speed and attracted hundreds of athletes. A man also suffered minor injuries in the collision.
"It's a great privilege, but it's a big responsibility to put on this race, and it's difficult, it's expensive, because there's a lot of things that have to go into putting on an Olympic distance race," Bone explained. "It's shaken me to the core, because I'm thinking, what can we do?"
When McDermott asked if there was anything else organizers could have done to prevent the crash, Bone pointed to the driver's actions.
"If a car and a driver are going to come and disregard the rules, cones and a traffic officer, there's nothing you can do but not put on the race," Bone said.
The breach is particularly alarming to some bicyclists given the scale of the event.
Since these were top athletes competing, "think about marathons, long-distance cycling, cross-country skiing, long-distance swimming. These are endurance sports, and the king of endurance sports is the triathlon."
Athletes who were competing were racing alongside three Olympians.
"The winner won the silver medal in Tokyo," Bone said.
Bicyclist Marty Tice expressed frustration over the incident.
"Nuts, no excuse for it," Tice said.
Bone said before the crash, the woman critically hurt was having a great race. He has been in touch with the families of both victims, including the woman fighting for her life.
"All we have thought about for the last 24 hours is the health and the well-being of those two athletes," Bone said. "This injured athlete was on target to be up there in one of the very best and highest results. She is an amazing person, and I hope that she comes through this."
Florida is consistently ranked the most dangerous state for cycling. A new study from the Bicycle Accident Lawyer's Group said more than 450 bicyclists were killed in crashes in Florida between 2023 and 2024. That is more than 100 more deaths than California, which came in second, and Texas, which came in third. Over the past decade, cyclist deaths have grown by a little more than 20%.
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