JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man whose brother was killed in a motorcycle crash in Mandarin remembers the 34-year-old as someone who lived life to the fullest.
The man's body was found on the side of Plummer Grant Road on Thursday. Neil Estrada, the man's brother, identified the motorcyclist as Tommy Flipse, whom he remembers as kind and selfless.
"He (Flipse) was one of those guys who would walk in, smile and change the whole vibe of the room," Estrada said. "Lived life 100%. To the fullest."
ORIGINAL STORY: Residents say man killed on Mandarin road was on motorcycle
"He took his shoes off and gave this man his shoes while we were at the gas station pumping gas and went home with no shoes on. That's the type of man he was," Estrada said.
Residents who live in the area said speed is an issue on the road. The posted speed limit is 30 mph.
"He (Flipse) was going home. He only lives a block and a half away. I know he was with a couple of friends playing pool before that.” Estrada said.
LINK: Donation account for Neil Estrada's family
Neighbors believe Flipse struck a guy wire, lost control of his bike and died. His bike stopped more than 150 feet away from where the guy wire was located.
Surveillance video from a nearby home captured the crash. Surveillance video News4Jax received from the family shows the crash, plus a vehicle that appears to be a police patrol car driving up to the scene, flashing its spotlight and then driving away.
“What’s interesting is that what appears to be a police vehicle looks at the scene of the accident and leaves," said Gust Sarris, the family's attorney. "So that just leave a lot of questions for the family that they believe they need answered.”
A spokesperson for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released a statement reading:
"The officer called it in and then was made aware the body was at a different location. The officer went to the location of the body.”
As of Monday, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office had not released the police report from the crash.