Pacific Northwest - Hit & run driver kills cyclist in Vancouver, Wa.

Just posted - the vehicle of the driver was found but apparently the driver took off.

Victim identified as high school teacher; no name published yet, but apparently students and the local community know the identity.

Apparently he was riding *in* the bike lane when he was hit. One of the comments says that his wife and daughter came upon the accident scene shortly after it happened, and recognized his bike.

http://columbian.com/article/20090915/NEWS02/709169948/Vancouver+bicyclist+struck++killed+


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009873476_apwabicyclefatal.html?syndication=rss




So very sad, and infuriating.

That is just sickening...Ugh...I don't even know what to say! F'in murdurous coward...

My condolences to the family , friends and all the kids he taught.

Victim identified, the person alleged to be the driver has been caught:

http://columbian.com/article/20090916/NEWS02/709179988/-1/NEWS

Many tributes to the teacher now pouring in from students and the community.

The few times that I ride to work, I ride this same stretch of road. I have even seen this guy on occasion while riding. I have even exchanged a few hello and head nods. God, I don't think he had a chance to get out of the way. The hill he was riding up is very steep and it takes full concentration to ride up this hill. I don't think he knew what happened. I rode to work on the same day this guy got hit, but did not ride home. I got a ride from my wife. This could have been me laying in the street instead of this guy. Jesus. This makes me a little upset.

BikePortland.org has an article and a link to Google Streetview in this location.

Does anyone know why the bike lane in this location is so far out into the roadway? It looks like they are giving room for cars to park at the curb and then establishing a bike lane out in the roadway, but doesn't look like the kind of neighborhood where lots of cars would be parked in the street.

http://bikeportland.org/2009/09/16/popular-high-school-teacher-killed-while-riding-in-vancouver-wa/

Also, a photo the victim has been posted in the Advocacy and Safety forum:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=585542

While going up the hill, there is no bike lane, but when you get to the top, the bike lane is on the left side of the parking area for cars. Cars park next to the curb. Both North and South bound lanes of St Johns Rd and St James Rd are like this. St James Rd is a one way road heading North, St Johns Rd is a one way road heading South. I usualy ride in the parking area near the curb, so I do not get hit. There are a lot of residential homes on both sides of these two roads and the city designed the parking area to accomidate the home owners. Bicycles were concidered last.

OMG, i used to live right on St John Rd and 88th ST......R.I.P brother! My prayer is for you and your family.

Strike 1... Sadly, I suspect this guy will end up with 2 more strikes after he is released some day.

Has anyone seen what caused the accident? Was he drunk, texting, or something else? I hate to see this kind of avoidable incident. I truly hope the driver is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Let your local officials know how you feel. Keep letting them know. Get the media involved. This should not happen in the Portland area where there is so much awareness of cycling.

Driver pled guilty.

He was texting at the time. He also was smoking a cigar, and distracted by the embers of the cigar.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/82459757.html

Driver pled guilty.

He was texting at the time. He also was smoking a cigar, and distracted by the embers of the cigar.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/82459757.html

He claimed he was smoking a cigar. The police found no evidence of a cigar in the car.

His girlfriend also tried to raise bail money for him by holding a bogus carwash:
http://www.columbian.com/news/2009/dec/30/car-wash-scam-suspect-appears-in-court/

*Sigh*. What do you do with people like this?

Glad he at least got some jail time. So often people simply get a slap on the wrist for taking someone's life like this. The carwash should be to help the family feed themselves since they now don't have any income, not free a piece of garbage like this guy.

WoW....What a shame.