[Updated: 11/6, 10:19am, 11:17am; 11/7, 5:57am]
(Photo: Adina Eggen)
A cyclist was hit this morning at the same spot where Brett Jarolimek was killed two weeks ago.
According to tips I’ve received from several readers, the collision took place this morning at around 8:40 am.
Witness Kristen West says a cyclist, whom the Oregonian has identified as Siobhan Doyle, was coming down N. Interstate and just as she approached the intersection with Greeley, a car (driven by 52 year-old Lisa Wheeler) that was also traveling south on Interstate turned right and struck the cyclist.
West says the cyclist was wearing a long-sleeved, fluorescent yellow jacket.
Other witnesses say the cyclist was laying on the median island at the apex of the Interstate/Greeley intersection. From reports at the scene the cyclist was put on a stretcher and taken away by ambulance but did not appear to have life-threatening injuries.
One reader, whom I’ll call Jane, called in and said she was riding directly behind the cyclist when this crash happened. She said, further up the hill on Interstate, the motorist made a very dangerous move into a parking lot, cutting off two bicyclists. Jane even considered following the car into the parking lot to tell her what she’d just done, but thought better of it.
Jane also said that, due to the driver’s dangerous maneuver, Jane slowed down as the intersection approached. She noticed the car had its blinker on and that the cyclist who was hit was “either right behind her or right next to her” when the collision occurred.
According to Jane, the collision flipped the 31 year-old cyclist over the car and the car ended up on top of the median island. Jane called 911 and said that the cyclist was “calm, although she was complaining about shoulder pain.”
Jane also spoke with the responding police officer. She told the officer about the near-miss altercation at the parking lot previous to the collision.
The police have issued no citations in this collision. I asked Police Bureau spokesman Brian Schmautz about this and here’s what he said:
“Determining fault at a collision is a function of an investigation. The Police Bureau will respond to any collision but unless there are trauma injuries our only role is to help with traffic control, confirm that there is not a crime involved in the collision (Reckless Driving, DUII, etc.) and confirm that all motorists have a valid drivers license and insurance. We will also help those involved fill out an exchange form so they can resolve their differences through their insurance companies.
Officers do not issue citations for a moving violation unless they have conducted an investigation. In cases like today’s collision there will be no citations issued because the collision did not meet the criteria for investigation.”
Many cyclists are understandably frustrated and a bit shaken to hear this news. Here are some snippets from emails I received just minutes after the collision:
“It was scary seeing her on the ground almost literally in the shadows of the ghost bike.”
“This is difficult to swallow given the massive amount of action and media attention that has sprung up in the last 2 weeks about bicycle and car awareness and education.”
Stay tuned for updates and developments on this story.