On Sunday, September 12th, Topeka bicyclist Tim Roberts died after being struck from behind by a car in southwest Topeka:
A bicyclist was killed Sunday afternoon after a car struck his bike near S.W. 53rd and Kent Place.
Shawnee County sheriff’s deputies, Mission Township firefighters and American Medical Response personnel were called at 4:30 p.m. to the 5500 block of S.W. 53rd, Shawnee County sheriff’s Sgt. Danny Lotridge said.
First responders at the scene found the bicyclist in a ditch on the north side of S.W. 53rd Street. The man suffered head injuries despite wearing a helmet. Medical personnel provided CPR, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man and a Chrysler Pacifica were westbound on 53rd street when the car struck the bicycle from behind, Lotridge said. The driver of the Pacifica was a Topeka man, and had a child as a passenger.
“We’re not sure what caused the accident,” Lotridge said.
The wreck occurred on a small hill along S.W. 53rd. As the sun was setting Sunday, officers continued to investigate the scene. The bicycle could be seen lying on its side on the north side of the street. Orange cones served as markers and were scattered around the bicycle. [read more]
The cyclist was later identified as Timothy R. Roberts, age 55, of Topeka:
Timothy Roberts died Sunday from injuries after being hit from behind by a car while riding his bike in the 5500 block of S.W. 53rd. Authorities on Monday identified the driver of the vehicle as Marc A. Shultz, 39, of Topeka.
Shawnee County sheriff’s Sgt. Danny Lotridge said Roberts was riding west on S.W. 53rd about 4:30 p.m. when he was struck by the westbound Chrysler Pacifica. He said Schultz and his son were in the Chyrsler.
Lotridge said investigators haven’t determined what caused the accident. “If you drive that (road), it goes up a grade, but it’s pretty visible,” Lotridge said.
“Everything out there suggests the bicyclist was on the right side of the road, as far to the right that he could have been — as bicyclists should be,” he said. “Mr. Shultz was in his lane of traffic when he struck him. It appeared that everybody was where they should have been.”
The Topeka Police Department’s Accident Reconstruction Unit is assisting with the investigation. Investigators also are trying to determine if the angle of the sun in the driver’s view contributed to the accident. [read more]
A blood test was performed on the driver, a Topeka lawyer, to determine if alcohol was a factor in the crash. Though police on the scene didn’t suspect that alcohol played a role, state law requires the blood draw. Results of the test have not yet been made public.
The Shawnee County District Attorney’s office is still investigating whether they’ll file any criminal charges. Roberts family is considering filing a civil suit against the driver of the car that hit him. [read more]
Tim Roberts is survived by his wife, Marissa, four daughters, and four grandchildren. Tim was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and served the State of Kansas Department of Corrections before becoming an insurance agent and financial planner. [obituary]
Post tags: Inattentive Driving, Tim Roberts, Topeka
