Update: May 31, 2011 — Attorney announces $1.5 million settlement in wrongful death suit.
Seattle news outlets are reporting that the cyclist in Wednesday morning's collision with a van in Ballard has died.
The 39-year-old man, identified as Kevin Black, was taken to Harborview Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The collision occurred shortly before 9 a.m. near the intersection of 24th Avenue NW and NW 65th Street.
Police told the Seattle Times that the cyclist was heading downhill on 24th when he moved into the two-way left-turn lane to pass a van. When the van entered the left-turn lane the bicycle went under it.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer profiles Black in a story that has quotes from coworkers and friends who gathered at the intersection last night. A molecular neurobiologist for the UW Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Black leaves behind two daughters. He was an avid cyclist who belonged to Alki Rubicon Racing Team.
News sources
The MyBallard website has numerous eyewitness comments, the Ballard News Tribune has a story and photos from the scene, and BikeHugger has some background. The P-I has a full-length story.
Here's an eyewitness comment from a person identified as Kass at MyBallard.com:
“This is what I saw, what another witness saw and what the police seem to be confirming right now. The van looks like it may have been attempting a u-turn, but it didn’t get far. The bicyclist had weaved through the lanes, although I’m not sure if he was trying to also turn left or if he was just trying to get around traffic. It really happened fast. The bicycle isn’t mangled though, one of the investigators just rode it away and to their truck. The driver of the van is still very shook up and she feels terrible.
“I am very impressed with the fast response and with the good samaritans who were so willing to help. There was an off duty fireman who was right there and who started cpr, and everyone else was very calm and helpful.
“The whole thing seems like a tragic accident, it seems to me that both parties were wrong, but knowing who was wrong or right doesn’t make it better for anyone.”
My condolences to the cyclist and his friends and family.
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