Chicago Cyclist Killed in Southern Illinois

[Bike Chick]

This occurred day before yesterday a couple counties southeast of me. It's very sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to the girls, their familes and the driver of the van.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2...032510.article

[PinkBike]

how does this happen? it just makes me sick.

[Bike Chick]

Agreed. And this stretch of road has hardly any homes on it and very little traffic. It's heartbreaking.

Another cyclist in our area was hit this morning by a driver who fell asleep driving home from work.

http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=12212265

Be careful out there.

[marni]

what I don't understand is if he had recently passed the drivers test for over 81 and he killed one person and seriously injured two others, why is he not being charged with vehicular homicide? A dead body is a dead body and anybody who drives a vehicle should know that they are operating a dangerous instrument and learn to acknowledge their limitations.

I feel so sorry for the families of all three girls and although I respect the elderly in general, I have no pity or sympathy with the driver. At minimum he should have to serve time under house arrest, pay for the funeral and all medical bills for the other two.

marni

[zoom-zoom]

what I don't understand is if he had recently passed the drivers test for over 81 and he killed one person and seriously injured two others, why is he not being charged with vehicular homicide? A dead body is a dead body and anybody who drives a vehicle should know that they are operating a dangerous instrument and learn to acknowledge their limitations.

I feel so sorry for the families of all three girls and although I respect the elderly in general, I have no pity or sympathy with the driver. At minimum he should have to serve time under house arrest, pay for the funeral and all medical bills for the other two.

marni

Yep. My grandpa was a danger to himself, others in his car, and everyone else on the road in his last year of life. He had NO business being behind the wheel, but no one could talk sense into him. My folks finally agreed that we didn't have to ride with him when he pulled out in front of a cement mixer that was barreling down a hill in a 55mph zone.

[Skierchickie]

This is absolutely horrible.

[Bike Chick]

Nothing further has ever been reported on this accident. I emailed the reporter from our local paper that originally reported this accident asking if they had followed up on the case, ie. were charges ever filed? and this is the response I received.

I just talked with a dispatcher in Gallatin County who works almost every day, and he said the investigation wasn't handled by the county, but by State Police. We initially inquired about the other young women, and were told police didn't have any more information than we did. The federal privacy laws have been toughened considerably in the last few years, so that even the police often don't get information on extent of injuries or follow-up for weeks or months, if at all. The state police are more sophisticated than most local police departments and might have accessed the details on the other two women by now.

I plan to follow up further. I'm so disappointed that nothing has been done or that the local media hasn't followed this any closer.