Thousands of Bikers Ride to Remember Christophe Le Canne, Killed in Hit-and-Run

Cyclists flooded the Rickenbacker Causeway this past Sunday for a memorial ride in honor of Christophe Le Canne, the 44-year-old biker killed in a horrific hit-and-run accident last weekend. As you can see in the video -- shot by a Riptide reader -- hundreds rode in the memorial, which began outside Mast...

By Tim Elfrink

January 25, 2010

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Cyclists flooded the Rickenbacker Causeway this past Sunday for a memorial ride in honor of Christophe Le Canne, the 44-year-old biker killed in a horrific hit-and-run accident last weekend.

As you can see in the video -- shot by a Riptide reader -- hundreds rode in the memorial, which began outside Mast Academy and circled past the spot on Bear Cut Bridge where Le Canne died.

Police say Carlos Bertonatti, a 28-year-old aspiring musician who lived in his parents' posh Key Biscayne digs, was drunk when he slammed into Le Canne just after 8 a.m.

Bertonatti is accused of speeding away with Le Canne's bike lodged under his front fender, leading police on a chase, and aggressively refusing a blood test after he was finally arrested.

Le Canne, who lived in South Miami, was an avid traveler -- and a hell of a photographer, based on the shots on his blog.

Check out more photos of Sunday's memorial ride here and here.

Bertonatti, meanwhile, is free on $100,000 bond and awaiting trail on charges of vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a fatality, DUI manslaughter, driving without a license, and resisting arrest.

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Tim Elfrink is a former investigative reporter and managing editor for Miami New Times. He has won the George Polk Award and was a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting.

Contact: Tim Elfrink

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Twitter: @timelfrinkmia