JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The family of a 79-year-old Jacksonville grandfather is pleading for the driver who hit and killed their loved one while he was riding his bicycle to come forward.
Bob Rathje was in the bike lane traveling west on Beach Boulevard near I-295 this past Saturday morning when he was hit, his family said. He later died from his injuries.
Family members told News4Jax that over the past 20 years, Rathje has collected more than $7,000 that he found while riding his bike to help pay for his grandchildren’s college education.
They said it’s what he was doing when he was killed last Saturday morning.
Rathje’s wife, Jinny, fought back tears as she explained that she and her husband were married for 51 years. They have two children and four grandchildren.
Her husband loved to take long bike rides -- collecting coins along the way.
Rathje’s daughter, Ellen, said the driver of the car that hit her father pulled over and got out. She said two witnesses at the scene heard the driver say something hurtful before taking off.
″The person who hit him stopped, got out of his car and said, ‘Wow. This really ruins my day.’ And he got back in his car and left,” she explained.
The family said Rathje suffered seven broken ribs, a fractured sternum and a partially collapsed lung. He died from internal bleeding days later. They said JSO is looking for a gray Hyundai Sonata, likely a 2015-2019 model.
News4Jax has requested additional information from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The family said multiple people may have seen the driver on the day of the accident and have information that can help police track down the man responsible.
″We can’t bring my dad back but if you can give us that peace by helping to find who did this to my dad that would be really amazing for my family,” Ellen Rathje said.
According to the family, Det. Chris Brooks has been assigned to the case. To contact him with information that can help in the investigation, call JSO at its mainline -- 904-630-0500.