Bikers honor Phoebe Jonchuck in memorial ride

PINELLAS COUNTY (FOX 13) - The death of 5-year-old Phoebe Jonchuck continues to impact the community a little more than a year after investigators say her father dropped her from a bridge.

About a dozen motorcycles gathered Sunday to remember Phoebe with a memorial ride. They stopped to place flowers in the water in honor of the little girl.

Phoebe’s father, John Jonchuck, is accused of killing his daughter by dropping her off the Dick Misener Bridge.

He has not yet been declared competent to stand trial.

The bikers who participated in Sunday’s memorial say they never knew Phoebe, but her death still affected them.

"There's the sadness, and then like we're all people and we have to heal, we have to feel better somehow,” said Adams Reid.  “We have to do something when things are wrong to make it better and that's what I think everyone gets out of being here and doing this."

The money raised goes toward a scholarship named after Phoebe.

Last year’s event brought in $4,000.