This news was posted on BB's Facebook page, but I am sharing it here for those who do not monitor FB:
http://morgantownwv.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=138&ARC=204 -
On July 6,2018 at approximately 11:15 p.m. officers of the Morgantown Police Department as well as the Morgantown Fire Department responded to Earl Core Road (WV Rt. 7) in reference to a hit and run involving a person on a bicycle. Based on a preliminary investigation and witness statements, a male was riding a bicycle west on Earl Core Road when he was struck from behind by a motor vehicle traveling in the same direction. The vehicle continued traveling west on Earl Core Road ( WV Rt. 7) toward the downtown area. The bicyclist received serious injuries and was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital. At 5:37 a.m. on July 7 the bicyclist, Divante Coles [1], a 20 year old male from Morgantown, was pronounced deceased due to the injuries received in the crash.
The vehicle involved is described as a dark, possibly black Chrysler/Dodge sedan. The vehicle should have front end damage with the driver's side headlamp not functioning. Police are continuing to investigate this incident and will provide updated information to media sources as it becomes available. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Morgantown Police Department at 304-284-7522. If you need immediate Police attention or a crime is in progress call 911.
Links: ------ [1] https://www.facebook.com/divante.coles
All,
For the verbiage I wrote in the FB post, please see below:
All of us at the bike board are extremely saddened to learn of the death of Divanté Coles on Friday night. As far as we know, this is the first fatal bicycle-automobile crash in Morgantown in nearly 18 years since the death of Officer Frank Fidazzo in 2000.
Reliable details on this terrible crash are minimal at this early time. We do know that police are reporting the following:
1) The crash occurred late at night, around 11:15pm 2) The crash occurred on a major arterial roadway owned and operated by the WVDOH, Route 7 / Earl L Core road in Sabraton 3) Both Divanté and the driver of the vehicle were reported as traveling west on the roadway (towards downtown), but we do not know exactly where the crash occurred 4) The vehicle was described as dark, and possibly a black Chrysler or Dodge sedan
The bike board has recognized Earl L Core as an extremely uncomfortable and potentially dangerous corridor for many years. It is fortunate that we have a bicycle and pedestrian-only path (the Decker's creek rail trail) right next to Route 7/Earl L Core that allows many people to bypass the road. However, there are many essential services that all types of people (including bicyclists and pedestrians) need to access on that road, and there are many neighborhoods on the north side of that road that do not have direct access to the rail trail. Therefore, we must continue to push for improvements to infrastructure that can more safely accommodate all road users.
We are looking forward to the installation of two bicycle lanes -- one on part of Richwood Ave. and one on part of University Ave. -- as well as numerous sharrows on other, city-owned roads during this pavement season. We are also looking forward to the improvements planned for state-owned Route 19 / Monongahela Blvd. We understand those plans include the installation of a bicycle lane and a sidewalk on the west side of the road from the Star City Bridge to the Coliseum.
We grieve for Divanté Coles, his family, and his friends at this time and we eagerly await more answers for them to help explain why this crash happened. Ride safe and be vigilant.
-Drew
On Sun, Jul 8, 2018 at 3:17 PM, Jonathan Rosenbaum via Bikeboard < bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com> wrote:
This news was posted on BB's Facebook page, but I am sharing it here for those who do not monitor FB:
http://morgantownwv.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=138&ARC=204 -
On July 6,2018 at approximately 11:15 p.m. officers of the Morgantown Police Department as well as the Morgantown Fire Department responded to Earl Core Road (WV Rt. 7) in reference to a hit and run involving a person on a bicycle. Based on a preliminary investigation and witness statements, a male was riding a bicycle west on Earl Core Road when he was struck from behind by a motor vehicle traveling in the same direction. The vehicle continued traveling west on Earl Core Road ( WV Rt. 7) toward the downtown area. The bicyclist received serious injuries and was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital. At 5:37 a.m. on July 7 the bicyclist, Divante Coles https://www.facebook.com/divante.coles, a 20 year old male from Morgantown, was pronounced deceased due to the injuries received in the crash.
The vehicle involved is described as a dark, possibly black Chrysler/Dodge sedan. The vehicle should have front end damage with the driver’s side headlamp not functioning. Police are continuing to investigate this incident and will provide updated information to media sources as it becomes available. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Morgantown Police Department at 304-284-7522. If you need immediate Police attention or a crime is in progress call 911.
Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com http://wvcompletestreets.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
Please have Christian contact me at police dept. 304-284-7522 (0)
Thanks Captain McCabe
Get Outlook for iOShttps://aka.ms/o0ukef ________________________________ From: Bikeboard bikeboard-bounces@bikemorgantown.com on behalf of Drew Gatlin via Bikeboard bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com Sent: Sunday, July 8, 2018 3:38:25 PM To: Jonathan Rosenbaum Cc: Bicycle Board Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Bicyclist Fatality
All,
For the verbiage I wrote in the FB post, please see below:
All of us at the bike board are extremely saddened to learn of the death of Divanté Coles on Friday night. As far as we know, this is the first fatal bicycle-automobile crash in Morgantown in nearly 18 years since the death of Officer Frank Fidazzo in 2000.
Reliable details on this terrible crash are minimal at this early time. We do know that police are reporting the following:
1) The crash occurred late at night, around 11:15pm 2) The crash occurred on a major arterial roadway owned and operated by the WVDOH, Route 7 / Earl L Core road in Sabraton 3) Both Divanté and the driver of the vehicle were reported as traveling west on the roadway (towards downtown), but we do not know exactly where the crash occurred 4) The vehicle was described as dark, and possibly a black Chrysler or Dodge sedan
The bike board has recognized Earl L Core as an extremely uncomfortable and potentially dangerous corridor for many years. It is fortunate that we have a bicycle and pedestrian-only path (the Decker's creek rail trail) right next to Route 7/Earl L Core that allows many people to bypass the road. However, there are many essential services that all types of people (including bicyclists and pedestrians) need to access on that road, and there are many neighborhoods on the north side of that road that do not have direct access to the rail trail. Therefore, we must continue to push for improvements to infrastructure that can more safely accommodate all road users.
We are looking forward to the installation of two bicycle lanes -- one on part of Richwood Ave. and one on part of University Ave. -- as well as numerous sharrows on other, city-owned roads during this pavement season. We are also looking forward to the improvements planned for state-owned Route 19 / Monongahela Blvd. We understand those plans include the installation of a bicycle lane and a sidewalk on the west side of the road from the Star City Bridge to the Coliseum.
We grieve for Divanté Coles, his family, and his friends at this time and we eagerly await more answers for them to help explain why this crash happened. Ride safe and be vigilant.
-Drew
On Sun, Jul 8, 2018 at 3:17 PM, Jonathan Rosenbaum via Bikeboard <bikeboard@bikemorgantown.commailto:bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com> wrote:
This news was posted on BB's Facebook page, but I am sharing it here for those who do not monitor FB:
http://morgantownwv.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=138&ARC=204 -
On July 6,2018 at approximately 11:15 p.m. officers of the Morgantown Police Department as well as the Morgantown Fire Department responded to Earl Core Road (WV Rt. 7) in reference to a hit and run involving a person on a bicycle. Based on a preliminary investigation and witness statements, a male was riding a bicycle west on Earl Core Road when he was struck from behind by a motor vehicle traveling in the same direction. The vehicle continued traveling west on Earl Core Road ( WV Rt. 7) toward the downtown area. The bicyclist received serious injuries and was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital. At 5:37 a.m. on July 7 the bicyclist, Divante Coleshttps://www.facebook.com/divante.coles, a 20 year old male from Morgantown, was pronounced deceased due to the injuries received in the crash.
The vehicle involved is described as a dark, possibly black Chrysler/Dodge sedan. The vehicle should have front end damage with the driver’s side headlamp not functioning. Police are continuing to investigate this incident and will provide updated information to media sources as it becomes available. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Morgantown Police Department at 304-284-7522. If you need immediate Police attention or a crime is in progress call 911.
_______________________________________________ Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@bikemorgantown.commailto:Bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com http://wvcompletestreets.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
-- J.D. Gatlin Graduate Research Assistant Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering B58 Engineering Sciences Building West Virginia University Chair, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board Morgantown, WV 26505
Got it. Thanks!
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 6:06 AM, Matt McCabe via Bikeboardbikeboard@bikemorgantown.com wrote: _______________________________________________ Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com http://wvcompletestreets.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
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Christiaan Abildso via Bikeboard -
Drew Gatlin via Bikeboard
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Jonathan Rosenbaum via Bikeboard
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Matt McCabe via Bikeboard