Here’s the story from the Corvallis Gazette Times:
“A bicyclist was struck and killed by a log truck at about 7:45 a.m. today on Chapel Drive, just east of the 13th Street intersection. Edward Paul Bomber, 48, of Corvallis, died at the scene.”
According to a reader who tipped me off about the story, Ed was a “good friend to many” and was also the co-owner of Northwest MultiSports, a triathlon shop located in Corvallis.
Police say drugs or alcohol are not part of the cause. Here’s what they told the Gazette Times:
“It looks like it was just a tragic accident,” said Benton County Sheriff Diana Simpson.
….preliminary reports indicate that Bomber and the driver of the log truck, Robert A. Phinney, age 54, of Siletz, may have simply misjudged the distance between them as both turned onto Chapel Drive.”
Read the full story here.
This is such sad news. I know the business partner (Not in the accident)
My prayers and thoughts go out to all of them who were involved in this ordeal.
Be careful out there…Thanks for posting Jon
Ed was a co-worker, who unfortunately has just become another example of improper investigation by the police. Here we have a case where Ed had the right of way as he made a right hand turn, and he was hit by a log truck which was required to yield that was making a left hand turn. I’ve ridden this road numerous times and log trucks often fail to give the now mandated 3 feet of space when passing. There is no possible way given the circumstances leading up to the collision that this was a no fault accident.
Bjorn
From another report the truck was turning left and the bike was turning right, which puts the truck at fault for failing to yield to oncoming traffic. The bike would have been hit if it had been going straight or making the right turn. Why were no tickets issued?
These stories make me so sad. I know reading them makes me a safer driver, but it also makes me more afraid to ride a bike. I’m sure the truck driver didn’t do it on purpose, and I”m sure he feels awful, but people driving multi-ton vehicles need to realize that they are driving deadly weapons and handle them with that level of respect. Wait 10 extra seconds rather than risk coming even close to a cyclist.
His cross is not located at the spot where the accident happened (yes I know this for a fact – I live in this intersection and saw him covered up). There’s two white marks on the road very close to 13th, that is where it happened.
I’ve had a cousin die in a car wreck, I know how I would feel knowing that the cross was not where it happened. I won’t disrepect it and move it myself, but I feel horrible seeing people come and mourn at the wrong place on the road, but I don’t want to just walk up and bother people paying their respects either.
Hopefully someone understands what I mean
An article with an update on Ed Bomber’s family and friends is posted here:
http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2008/10/06/news/top_story/7aaa01_bomber.txt
His wife ran the Portland Marathon just three days after he died. Inspiring.
A Web site with ways to help out Ed’s wife and four kids is posted here:
http://www.edbomber.weebly.com
A link to Ed and Gordie’s business, Northwest MultiSports:
http://www.trinwms.com/home.php
J.Maus, your link in the article doesn’t go anywhere.
I think this is the article you wanted to link to, though:
http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2008/10/06/news/community/from_last_week/2aaa03_bikedeath.txt
For those who haven’t read it yet, it says that investigators don’t think the truck failed to yield the right of way, even though the bike was turning right and the truck was turning left.
Speed, alcohol, and drugs do not appear to be a factor.
Investigators don’t believe the truck did anything wrong.
To which I say: WTF??
Note the following single comment theorizing how the incident might have occurred, (made in response to the Gazette Times story) :
” zooey wrote on Oct 4, 2008 8:06 AM:
” Wait a minute. Misjudged? If the bike was heading north, making a right and the log truck headed south, making a left onto Chapel, that log truck is required by law to yeild and wait for that cyclist to complete the turn. That’s the law. So any misjudging is going to have been on the part of the log truck, making a turn with an oncoming bike. Sounds to me like the log truck turned and those things lumber and turn slowly, disregarding the bike and the bike tried to make the turn to avoid the log truck and slid, due to the rain. That is what it sounds like to me, by just reading the article. But the bike would have had right of way and if anywhere close that log truck should have waited, to make his turn. ” “Gazette Times, Oct. 5th
There were a lot more comments in the response to the earlier Gazette Times story, some from people living near the incident location. They talk about the intensity of traffic there and people’s driving habits that invite this kind of incident.
The family of Ed Bomber would like to announce that they DO NOT blame the log truck driver for any wrong doing in Ed’s death. Unless proven otherwise the family feels his death was the result of a tragic accident & any speculation otherwise is completely uncalled for and will only lead to more hurt not more understanding.