Palm Beach County deputy badly burned when motorcycle fire

A group of Palm Beach County deputies headed to Key West on a weekend motorcycle trip had their vacation cut short when one of the motorcycles caught fire Friday, severely burning the man who had been riding it, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The group had stopped at a Shell gas station in Marathon at about 3:30 p.m. to fill their tanks when Richard Ragali's motorcycle fell over on him and burst into flames, FHP spokesman Pat Santangelo said.

"There was a puddle of gas on the ground from a previous customer," he said. "When the bike fell, it ignited the gas on the ground, causing the motorcycle to catch on fire."

Trapped under the burning Harley Davidson, Ragali suffered burns on 50 to 60 percent of his body before the other deputies could pull him out. Within seconds, the fire spread to a minivan at a pump nearby. Two toddlers in the van were rescued by a store clerk and a bystander before the fire reached their car seats, Santangelo said.

Ragali, 53, was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami in critical condition. No one in the minivan was hurt.
Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Oh my GOD!!! Let's all come together and pray for our dear brother!!!!!!!

Our thoughts and prayers need to be with Rags and his family right now. It's time for us to set aside our differences and pull together as a law enforcement family for this brother officer. I am sure that he will need all of the support that he can possibly get.

not from your agency...but is there a fund set up that local agencies can donate to?

Does anyone know if he needs anything? For instance does he need blood donated etc. If someone can update us we can rally to try and help.

not from your agency...but is there a fund set up that local agencies can donate to?

Donations can be made to the PBSO Broken Star fund in the name of Rich Ragali.

not from your agency...but is there a fund set up that local agencies can donate to?

Donations can be made to the PBSO Broken Star fund in the name of Rich Ragali.

There is L.E.A.F. (Law Enforcement Assistance Foundation) Call Sgt. Mark Bohen or other members in the agency.

Our family is praying for you and yours.

not from your agency...but is there a fund set up that local agencies can donate to?

Donations can be made to the PBSO Broken Star fund in the name of Rich Ragali.

There is L.E.A.F. (Law Enforcement Assistance Foundation) Call Sgt. Mark Bohen or other members in the agency.

Listen call Mark Bohen or e-mail him and state you'd like to make a donation to help Sgt. Ragali. All checks should be made out to L.E.A.F. All funds will be sent to Ragali. Remember, LEAF has helped out so many deputies and fellow officers in the past. It's organization that only assist LEO'S.

God BLess to all

Our prayers go out to you Rich......You have a lot of friends and we will be here for you.
Our prayers also go out to his friends who were present with him when the accident happened. it must have been a terrible thing to witness.