A man delivering sandwiches by bicycle in Seattle's University District was struck by a left-turning driver and killed on Saturday, and a woman on a bicycle near Port Angeles was struck from behind and killed by a motorist on Sunday.
The two became the fourth and fifth bicyclists killed on the road in western Washington since late July. Another died last week from injuries suffered Aug. 30 when he accidentally fell into a stairway.
My memory might be faulty, but I don't remember a summer so devastating to people who ride bicycles here in the 11 years since I moved to the area.
The Seattle Times reported that at least 10 bicyclists have died across Washington state so far this year; that includes the cyclist who fell in the stairway and another hit by a train.
Port Angeles
The woman killed in Port Angeles has been identified as Marian M. Byse, 65, of Port Angeles.
About 2 p.m. Sunday, she was riding a mountain bike on Highway 112 near Elwha
River Road, about 3 miles from Port Angeles, when she was struck from behind by a
car heading east.
The 65-year-old motorist was not suspected to
be impaired by drugs or alcohol. Police closed off the highway for 4
hours while they conducted their investigation.
The reporter at the Peninsula Daily News wrote that the stretch of road has proven dangerous due to a number of wrecks there in recent years.
Seattle fatality
The man struck and killed on Saturday has been identified as Robert Townsend, 23, of Seattle. He was a native of Arlington, KOMO-TV reports, and was delivering sandwiches for Jimmy Johns at the time of the crash.
According to Seattle Police, the bicyclist on Saturday was riding south on University Way NE when he was struck at 6:18 p.m. by a motorist turning from northbound University Way NE to westbound NE Campus Parkway.
The man was taken to Harborview Medical Center where he died. Police said the vehicle driver showed no signs of impairment, but an investigation was continuing.
KOMO reported Townsend's background at “He was so happy to be on his bike, doing what he loved.”
Memorial ride
In a Twitter post, Tom Fucoloro, who writes the Seattle Bike Blog, is calling for a
memorial ride for all the bicyclists who have died in the area this
summer.
Previous traffic fatalities this summer:
The first was John Przychodzen, 49, who had recently moved to Kirkland from Connecticut. He was struck from behind by an 18-year-old pickup truck driver at 8600 Juanita Drive on July 22.
Next was Michael Wang, 44, a photographer for PATH, a worldwide health support nonprofit. He was struck July 28 by an oncoming motorist who turned left in front of him at Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street. The driver left the scene but police have seized a suspect vehicle.
A man riding his bicycle across Logan Avenue North near the Renton Memorial Stadium in Renton was struck by a car on Aug. 4 and died the next day at the hospital. He was later identified as George Demendoza, 69, of Federal Way.
Also in August, a popular Seattle barista, Brian Fairbrother, crashed on some stairs near Fairview Avenue North. He was riding on the sidewalk, and instead of taking a fork that lead to a bike lane, he went straight and encountered stairs that led to a floating dock, according to the Seattle Times.
The crash, which apparently did not involve traffic, occurred on Aug. 30 and Fairbrother died last week.
Our condolences to all the victims' friends and families.
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