LANTANA, Fla. — The community around Atlantis Plaza is reeling after the 39‑year-old motorcyclist who died in a crash late Tuesday was identified as Joshua R. Rene, a much‑loved pastor at Journey Church in West Palm Beach. What started as an ordinary evening ride ended in tragedy — and in a family’s unimaginable grief.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the accident happened around 6:50 p.m. near the 6200 block of South Congress Avenue, at the entrance to Atlantis Plaza.
Authorities say a 2003 GMC Sierra — driven southbound by 50‑year-old Clifton Donald Jackson of Stuart — moved into the inside left‑turn lane, preparing to turn east into the plaza. At nearly the same moment, Rene was riding his 2013 Harley‑Davidson northbound in the outside lane. The truck turned directly into his path.
The blunt force of the impact struck the motorcycle on the passenger‑side front of the pickup, instantly throwing Rene from his bike. He landed in the outside northbound lane, where he was later pronounced dead on the scene. Jackson, wearing a seatbelt, suffered no injuries. Deputies noted the intersection has no traffic signals — a fact that may complicate the ongoing investigation.
News of Rene’s death shocked many — especially those who knew him through Journey Church. In statements released shortly after, the congregation described him not simply as a pastor, but as a gentle, humble shepherd whose compassion and faith touched dozens of lives. “As a church community, we are heartbroken over the loss of our beloved Pastor Josh,” the church said, asking for prayers for the Rene family.
Rene leaves behind a wife and four children. For believers and friends in his congregation, the loss is hardly just personal: it feels like losing a guiding light, a mentor, a cornerstone of their spiritual home. Now, in the quiet spaces Sunday mornings will leave, many wonder how soon that community can begin to heal.
As deputies continue to comb witness statements and evidence — and to reconstruct how the crash happened — the broader community is left grappling with the fragility of life, and the painful realization that it can vanish in an instant. But in the midst of sorrow, there’s also resolve: to pray, to remember, and to honor the memory of a life devoted to faith, kindness, and service.
