Hit and run kills cyclist in Sanford, ME.
 

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http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll...WS03/916813402

Woman killed while riding bicycle in Sanford

Article Date: Monday, April 28, 2008

SANFORD, Maine — Authorities are trying to locate the motorist of a truck that struck and killed a woman on a bicycle this afternoon.

The fatality occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. at the intersection of River and Winter streets.

Sanford Police Major Gordon Littlefield said that a witness reported that a red truck carrying logs hit the woman at the intersection and continued west on Route 202. It is not known whether the truck continued west toward Lebanon or turned north or south onto Route 109 when it approached the intersection with Main Street, Littlefield said.

The witness did not have a cell phone and needed to flag down a motorist to borrow one and call for help, Littlefield said.

Investigators and emergency personnel blocked off the scene of the fatality with yellow tape, vehicles and barricades.

The woman reportedly has been identified, but the police will not release her name until her next-of-kin have been notified.

Anyone with information that could help police locate the red truck is urged to call the Sanford Police Department at 324-3644.

:-( ...

pics: http://www.wgme.com/News/story_video...ory/WGME_newsg

Geez, Sanford is right down the road from me, about a half hour away.

"Truck with logs" -- if that was a logging truck... well, they pretty much own the road in various ME locales, although Sanford is a bit south for full effect. Even most cars give logging trucks wide berth. Doesn't excuse it at all, not even by far (and not even sure from the article if it was indeed a logging truck or just a truck with logs in it), but one fact of life in ME is dealing with them on the road.

I would guess the driver was drunk...and under today's laws... he'll get a lighter sentence for driving off and sobering up then sticking around the scene drunk.....

Update: News story this AM on WCSH TV said that the bicyclist was riding on the wrong side of the road and her brakes were not up to par. I.e. blame the cyclist. It was a logging truck. Driver is expected not to face any charges.

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll...0104/160220032
(article does not reference wrong-way riding)

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Why deal with pesky things like facts when we can base our "understanding" on lazy guesses!

Although I am no fan of logging trucks and the way that they drive - from what I have read in the local papers, the driver was probably not aware that he had hit the cyclist. The cyclist was on the wrong side of the road, and the truck driver called police himself once he reached his destination and noticed something amiss with the truck.