Fatal Bicycle Accident, June 5

An adult male bicyclist died Wednesday following an afternoon collision between a pickup and his bicycle near Elmira in Lane County. The names of the driver and bicyclist victim will be released Thursday. Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investigation.  On June 4, 2014 at approximately 2:00 p.m., a pickup pulling a horse trailer driven by a 63-year old woman was eastbound on Warthen Road just west of Territorial Road when an eastbound bicyclist traveling on the eastbound shoulder attempted to turn left across the travel lanes to enter a private driveway. The pickup’s driver attempted to avoid the bicyclist but struck him near the center of Warthen Road.  The 57-year old bicyclist was transported by air ambulance to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend where he died later from his injuries. He was wearing a bicycle helmet.  OSP troopers and a collision reconstructionist from the Springfield Area Command office are continuing the investigation.  OSP was assisted at the scene by Lane County Sheriff’s Office and Lane Rural Fire/Rescue.  This is the second bicyclist to die this year in Oregon, each occurring during the month of June. OSP and ODOT urge all bicyclists and drivers to be alert for each other traveling on area roads throughout the State. Last year, five bicyclists were killed in traffic-related crashes. In 2012, ten bicyclists died in traffic-related crashes.  Additional bicycle-related safety information and statistics is available on ODOT’s website at http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/ts/Pages/bicyclistsafety.aspx