Bicycle Board Members,
This Thursday, November 12, at 4:30 pm in Municipal Court the hearing will be held on John Duarte's crash on Jones Avenue. Municipal Court is in the Public Safety Center, the same building in which we have our monthly meeting.
John is OK with cyclists attending the hearing. The driver that pulled out in front of him is contesting the citation for failure to yield that the police gave him.
A policeman showed up within 5 minutes of the crash. The policeman took a deposition from the driver and one witness.
John's bicycle did not collide with the car. When he saw the car pulling out in front of him he braked and flew over the handle bars. He broke his pelvis. He thinks his left leg jamming into his pelvis caused the fracture. He landed with his legs straddling the driver side front wheel of the car with his right leg behind the tire and his left leg in front of the tire. The driver backed over his right leg and then pulled forward off of it. John was screaming all this time and there were several people around also yelling to the driver to stop that someone was under his car. John had 4.5 hours of surgery that went in through his abdomen. He has 2-3 plates and several screws. He has much neurological damage to his left side. His leg and foot continue to be inflamed. He can walk on crutches but does not have feeling in his left leg.
Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/