A press release from the Woodstock Police Department:
Fatal Crash Investigation
Bicyclist vs. Motor Vehicle
Looking north at Route 14 from Route 47.
On Tuesday, August 15, 2017, at approximately 7:33 pm, the Woodstock Police Department responded to the intersection of S. Eastwood Dr. (IL Rte. 47) and U.S. Rte. 14 in reference to a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.
Upon the arrival of responding officers and members of the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District, they located and attempted to treat a 25 year old male subject, who subsequently died.
The Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT), a multi-jurisdictional team consisting of experienced and trained crash investigators from several McHenry County law enforcement agencies, including the Woodstock Police Department, was activated.
The preliminary results of the investigation indicate that the victim, who was riding a bicycle, was traveling northbound on Rte. 47 and was struck in the intersection by a 2007 Chevy Tahoe, which was traveling eastbound on Rte. 14.
Preliminary witness statements indicated the Tahoe was traveling through the intersection and had a solid green light.
No citations have been issued based on this preliminary information.
This crash remains under investigation by the Woodstock Police Department, MCAT, and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.
= = = = =
A press release from McHenry Coroner Anne Majewski:
Robert A. James
McHenry County Coroner, Dr. Anne Majewski, announced this afternoon that her office is investigating the death of a man killed last evening, August 15, 2017, at the intersection of Routes 14 and 47 in Woodstock Illinois.
The young man is identified to be Robert Amos James, age 25, of Woodstock Illinois.
Mr. James was riding a bicycle north on Route 47 when he proceeded into the intersection of Routes 14 and 47 reportedly against the red light and was struck by a car heading east on Route 14.
A 911 call went out for the crash at 1933 bringing Woodstock Police and Woodstock Fire and Rescue to the scene.
Mr. James was transported to Centegra Woodstock Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 20:42.
An autopsy conducted today in the McHenry County Coroner’s Office revealed that he died from blunt force injuries to the head, chest and abdomen. Toxicology testing is pending at this time.
The crash remains under investigation by the Woodstock Police Department, MCAT (McHenry County Accident Team), and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.
Can someone please tell the Woodstock PD that a bicyclist is not a pedestrian?
^^That seems to be how they received the 911 call, “in reference to a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian”. The story in the Northwest Herald goes “Woodstock Fire Capt. Brendan Parker said Woodstock firefighter/paramedics responded to a call about a car striking a pedestrian”.
The truth is, a person riding a bicycle may behave as either a pedestrian (we in the “traffic cycling” community refer to them as “rolling pedestrians”) or as a vehicle driver.
Arguably, this individual’s road behavior may have been more like a pedestrian than a driver.
Pedestrians more commonly act as though the rules of the road, including traffic control devices, i.e. signal lights, don’t apply to them.
We can only guess this individuals’s frame of mind as he ignored the red light at this major intersection.
The NW Herald includes the observation of witnesses reporting that he had earbuds in his ears which may have distracted him.
It may not have been particularly busy at that time of day, but busy enough to give consideration.
That the call referenced a collision with a pedestrian is significant, because that is how public safety and society at large will regard bicyclists who act as though they have no business sharing the road with motorists.
Until education, law enforcement and the media put more emphasis on the rights and duties of persons operating bicycles on roadways as being the same as those of motorized vehicle operators, we will continue to have seemingly inexplicable behavior of those who behave otherwise.