Just days away from finishing his bicycle ride in Jacksonville, FL, a man who was riding across America was killed in an auto accident. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. The victim was riding across the country to raise money for the victims of the BP oil spill.

The rider, a resident of Gulf Breeze, FL, was hit by a pickup truck near Panama City, FL. He was 66 years old and a former administrator at Louisiana State University.

The driver of the pickup truck drove onto the shoulder of the road. There, he hit the back of the victim’s bike, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The victim was thrown into a ditch and was pronounced dead at the scene.

He had ridden over 2000 miles and was just hours away from completing his journey across America when the accident happened. The victim had a long career in athletics and was once an assistant athletic director at Florida State University. He also coached track at North Dakota State University and the University of Missouri.

Friends noted that he loved to ride his bicycle and had been affected by the oil spill. He thought he could combine his love for riding with a way to help victims of the spill. It is unknown how much money had been collected during the ride.

He had been soliciting donations through his church’s website and was updating his journey through a blog that included pictures.