North Port city commissioner injured in motorcycle accident, treated at Sarasota Memorial
Commissioner Peter Emrich was released from Sarasota Memorial Sunday afternoon; will rehab at home, wear a neck brace for 90 days
Earle Kimel
NORTH PORT – North Port District 4 City Commissioner Pete Emrich is recovereing at home after being treated at Sarasota Memorial Hospital following a motorcycle accident Friday afternoon on Sumter Boulevard.
Emails from two North Port city spokespeople Saturday said that the crash took place at about 4:15 p.m. in the 3000 block of Sumter Boulevard.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
Both North Port Police and North Port Fire Rescue responded to the scene, which is south of City Hall.
“There were no witnesses and no citations are being issued,” North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor wrote, then later added that “his injuries are non-life threatening.”
Emrich was alert and talking on the scene but as a precautionary measure, he was taken by helicopter to the SMH Sarasota campus.
Emrich’s wife, Elaine Allen Emrich, a community editor at Sun Coast Media Group, said in an email to local media Sunday that her husband was driving to City Hall after getting gas at Wawa when the crash occurred.
While the crash is being investigated, she wrote that “we do know that he hit a curb and then a tree.”
Emrich wrote that her husband suffered major injuries to his neck, minor shoulder and leg injuries and some “road rash I still can’t get out of his hair and face.”
“He does have use of his arms and legs,” she added, “So that is very good.”
On Sunday afternoon, Emrich posted on Facebook about his release to rehabilitate at home.
“Thank you all for your concerns,“ Emrich posted on Facebook.
He then went on to note that C1 and C2 vertebrae in his neck were broken.
“I am home and am moving very slowly,” he wrote. “Home rehab is supposed to start next week.”
No surgery has been scheduled and he will wear a cervical collar brace for at least the next 90 days.
“Again thank you for the well wishes...they mean so much to me and my family....” he concluded.
Elaine Emrich relayed that sentiment earlier Sunday.
“So many people have reached out to Pete, myself and our adult children,” she wrote. “We cannot thank everyone enough.
“We are truly surrounded by love from our community. We have lived here since 1989 and people we haven't heard from in a while have all reached out and we appreciate it."
Elaine Emrich thanked the first responders and noted that while her husband does not remember much from the crash, “the first responders made sure to tell me that he remembered he had a wife and was adamant that they call me to tell me what hospital he was being transported to and that he was okay.”
“Pete has been riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles since he was 18 years old,” she added. “He loves riding. Right now we could use prayer. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that God answers prayers.”