Family Sues When Fla. Runner Dies Without Help During Race

Tampa Bay Times

A lawsuit has been filed against organizers of the Skyway 10K run, the city of St. Petersburg and others over the death from heart problems of a man who collapsed during the race over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge two years ago.

The lawsuit was filed in February in Pinellas circuit court by the brother of Justin Doyle, 48. Among those named as defendants are Skyway Bridge Run Inc., the private Sunstar Paramedics through parent Paramedics Logistics Florida, the city of St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and Manatee County.

Richard Lea Doyle is suing on behalf of his brother’s estate and his brother’s widow.

Justin Doyle experienced a “cardiac episode” March 1, 2020, about 5 miles into the 6.6-mile race. He collapsed between a Sunstar ambulance and a St. Petersburg Fire Rescue truck, fire officials told the Tampa Bay Times at the time. But neither crew rendered aid. Commanders told them to stay at their posts and that help was on the way, Fire Rescue Lt. Steven Lawrence said then.

Meantime, a group of bystanders administered CPR, witnesses told the Times. They flagged down a St. Petersburg police officer who was driving by on a motorcycle and he radioed for help.

A Manatee County ambulance was sent to the bridge’s 5-mile marker, but that spot was different from the race’s 5-mile marker. Bystanders loaded Doyle onto a race bus, which took him to Blackthorn Memorial Park on the St. Petersburg side of the bridge.

It took 22 minutes and 8 seconds for medical help to reach Doyle, according to a St. Petersburg Fire Rescue report on what went wrong that day. He was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.

The report blamed inadequate mapping, communication breakdowns, and other issues for the delay. Pinellas County’s 9-1-1 Communications Center did not know about the race when operators first received calls about Doyle’s collapse. And while first responders exchanged dozens of messages trying to locate Doyle, he had already been taken on the bus when they finally did.

The report also faulted the absence of a designated lane for emergency vehicles on the bridge.

The report suggested laying out a clear communication plan between race personnel and first responders to address emergencies in the future and assigning first responders specific areas to oversee.

The lawsuit described the breakdowns in communication and planning as “a series of errors and failures” that created “confusion and chaos which ultimately caused or significantly contributed to the death of Justin Tobias Doyle.”

The lawsuit seeks damages for the loss of Doyle’s future earnings and the growth of the value of his estate as well as damages for medical and funeral expenses, “loss of the decedent’s companionship and protection” and “mental pain and suffering.”

Richard Lea Doyle declined to comment on the lawsuit. Representatives of all the defendants said they do not comment on pending litigation.