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The governor has ordered US and state flags to be flown at half staff today in honor of Admiral LeRoy Collins Junior.

Collins, seen here in 2006 filing paperwork to run for US Senate, was a retired Navy Admiral and the son of former Governor LeRoy Collins. He was killed this morning in Tampa while riding his bike for exercise. The news reached the capitol mid-morning when Governor Charlie Crist made this announcement.

“Secretary, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’ve just been handed a note with some very sad news. Evidently Admiral LeRoy Collins was riding a bike this morning and unfortunately he was hit and he was killed. Our thoughts and prays certainly go out to the Collins family and I regret having to announce this news to you and I think it would be appropriate if we recognized a moment of silence,” said Collins.

Attorney General Bill McCollum says Collins had a servant’s heart.

“He was a leader of veterans. He dedicated his life to public service and we don’t find many people who dedicate their lives as completely as he did. Whether that served our country as a naval officer, an admiral or whether that served our state as he did by heading our department of veteran affairs,” said McCollum.

Collins was 75 years old.