FSU student's death in car and bicycle accident was the last straw for friends

Jan-Felix Mueller was shocked to learn that Americans’ main means of transportation was a car.

In his hometown of Hannover, Germany, people went everywhere by bicycle and walking. Friends here complained that most places had to be driven and Tallahassee wasn’t bike-friendly.

And it was his complaint that ultimately cost him his life.

Mueller, a 26-year-old doctoral student at Florida State University, was shot while riding his bike at the downtown intersection of East Call Street and North Monroe Street on Oct. 17, according to the Tallahassee Police Department.

“Preliminary information indicates that the cyclist was traveling in the crosswalk when the driver of the vehicle ran a red light and struck the cyclist,” TPD said.

The driver remained at the scene and participated in the investigation. TPD said the driver was described as such, but the investigation is ongoing.

Mueller died five days after the crash.

“His death is a great loss to his family, friends, and philosophy,” said Stephen Kearns, Mueller’s advisor in FSU’s Department of Philosophy. Kearns said he was “an immensely gifted philosopher whose work shows great creativity and promise.”

The PhD student’s tragic accident is just one of many heartbreaking incidents in the capital, and his friends and mentors fear nothing will change.

‘Instant friend’

Mueller came to Tallahassee in 2022 to pursue his doctorate. in philosophy at FSU is considered one of the best universities in the United States for his interest in researching free will.

He was in the middle of his third year in the five-year program and had begun working on his thesis before he died.

During orientation, he met Renee Rushing, Jie Bao, and Michael De Vivo, who became part of his “inner circle.”

“He was like an instant friend,” Rushing said. “He cares about everyone, and if you’re in his space, you have the opportunity to make a friend.”

The woman, who said she had an “extraordinary combination” of intelligence, compassion and kindness, noted that it was strange to talk about herself in the past tense.

Everyone could tell he was special.

Mueller was the kind of friend who would put her life aside to be there for someone in their time of need. All three friends who spoke to the Tallahassee Democrat said Mueller helped them overcome challenges and always checked in on them.

When they found time in their schedules, they would often hang out to watch movies, eat dinner, and discuss philosophy.

Imposing some of his own German culture, Rushing said they often went to buy food and drinks to relax after classes. A few of Mueller’s favorite spots in the city were The Bark, Black Dog Café, and Square Mug.

Bao said he remembered Mueller taking him and several other international students to The Bark last October. “He left us around the same time this year,” he said, then sighed deeply.

Rushing said that when he’s not studying or working, he really enjoys exploring the world outdoors. The week of the accident, De Vivo said they were planning a weekend canoe trip.

Beyond that, Mueller loved cycling. Although he found the cycling scene undesirable, it never deterred him. De Vivo said he was an “avid cyclist.”

“I’d be driving down to Monroe or somewhere and I’d see him riding and he always had a smile on his face,” he said.

Hopes for a full recovery quickly vanished

Since Mueller’s death, his friends have struggled to work and study. “It feels so insignificant,” Rushing said.

Rushing, Bao and De Vivo visited Mueller in the hospital until his parents arrived from Germany three days after the accident.

He was initially expected to make a full recovery. Doctors warned that he might be confused and have changes in his personality, but overall he would make it through.

Then things went south quickly.

One day he was walking the hospital corridors with a physical therapist, and the next he was bedridden as doctors told him the swelling in his brain was worsening.

On the day of the shooting, Bao said Mueller should attend a conference on free will. He said he heard about the accident but was told the situation was not that serious and he would be released soon.

But when he couldn’t sit in for class the following Monday, Bao began to worry.

“I asked my friend, ‘How’s everything going?’ I asked. “They told me on Monday night that something very bad had happened, but it was unclear what it was and the doctor said he wouldn’t wake up anymore.”

Even in the face of the worst-case scenario, Bao held out hope for a miracle.

But the miracle never happened.

‘Truly incredible’

De Vivo said it’s hard to hold out hope that cyclists and pedestrians will be safe on the roads. Even Mueller’s father was nearly shot on his way to meet De Vivo at the Black Dog.

“She cannot even walk to a cafe where her son visits to grieve and process without her own life being threatened,” De Vivo said. “It’s truly incredible.”

But in the spirit of Mueller, De Vivo said that because these tragic accidents happen all the time, there’s still value in trying to effect some kind of change, especially when students are involved.

Last September another FSU Ph.D. student and avid cyclist Jake Boykin, 25, was shot and killed by a drunk driver while cycling along Wacissa Springs Road in Jefferson County.

And earlier this year, FSU sophomore Ellie Sims was killed A hit-and-run incident occurred in a crosswalk at the intersection of Lorene and Pensacola streets, not far from campus.

The 20-year-old’s parents spoke at the city commission meeting in June and demanded change from the city, and those who knew and loved Mueller now share Sims’ pain.

“Motorists run red lights every day in Tallahassee. I don’t know what they’re thinking,” said Randolph Clarke, professor and chair of FSU’s philosophy department. “The city needs to fix this problem. Things need to change.”

Originally from Anqing in China’s Anhui Province near Shanghai, Bao said he, like Mueller, was surprised to see the driving culture when he first moved to Tallahassee. He usually gets around the city on a scooter and often feels unsafe, having near-misses with cars on the road.

Bao said that in Anqing, tons of people are cycling and walking on the streets all the time, so drivers are used to being more careful and driving slowly. But he also said more cameras are being placed on the streets of his hometown, helping police track people quickly in case something happens, which in turn helps deter bad driving.

“I don’t see anyone getting pulled over, I don’t see people being held accountable,” Rushing said. “It’s a culture that people can do that; they can just go through a red light.”

Rushing said he wants to see law enforcement actually enforce the law. De Vivo said if that meant he had to buy a ticket, so be it.

“Give me a ticket, tell me this isn’t right,” he said. “Give me an indication that the city cares enough to invest resources to stop distracted driving.”

In early October, TPD announced its fifth year of increasing efforts to reduce the number of fatal pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. The agency will use high-visibility enforcement measures to ensure road safety and provide education by May 2025. as previously reported.

“Talk about irony, right?” De Vivo said.

While it may be too late for Mueller, De Vivo said he wants this incident to be used to drive meaningful change. People driving in Tallahassee are “ignoring the fact that they’re driving deadly machines,” he said, and said priorities on the road need to change.

Mueller has always looked for the good in the bad, and his friends are trying to do the same. They exchange ideas about the best ways to advocate for safer streets and not let their friends’ needless deaths be in vain.

“One death is less of a good thing,” De Vivo said. “It may not be a statistically significant reduction, but the cost in human lives is unacceptable.”

Breaking news and trend news reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X: @elenabarreraaa.