Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run on the east side
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Pedestrian and cycling safety advocates say that an east side hit-and-run is the 10th cyclist death in Indianapolis this year.
According to IMPD, it happened just before 11 p.m. Friday. Officers found a man who had been hit near the 3400 block of Shadeland Avenue. He died at an area hospital.
Police did not immediately give a description of the vehicle involved. As of Saturday night, no arrests have been made.
It’s a situation that’s becoming too familiar for avid cyclist Jakob Morales. The news of another death of a fellow cyclist didn’t surprise him.
“I think the cycling community is pretty numb to it,” Morales said. “We still care, but it’s just so frequent … This is a really deadly city for walking and cycling and even driving, and something really needs to be done. “
Morales is the chair of Central Indiana Cycling‘s Advocacy Committee. He’s had his fair share of near misses on a bike.
Last year, he was even hit by a car near Brookside park. It’s a moment he caught on video.
“If you’re driving, if you’re biking, even if you’re walking, just take a breath,” Morales said. “Focus on being collaborative with other road users, rather than competitive.”
Morales says there’s only so much the community can plead for drivers to slow down.
Instead, he argues lawmakers need to step in and make physical changes to the road that force drivers to slow down.
“It entices people to go slower,” Morales said. “So people want to go slower, so it’s uncomfortable to go fast. By doing that, over the long term, we’ll see less fatalities. People can get to their destinations better.”
Friday’s hit-and-run comes as Sunday marks the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
Central Indiana Cycling, along with other advocacy groups, is hosting a vigil, memorial walk and ride ON Sunday in the Garfield Park neighborhood.
It will be near the intersection of Shelby and Raymond Streets, where three pedestrians or cyclists were killed this year alone.
The latest happened just over a month ago. Organizers of the event say the victim, Jeff Gillard, was taken off life support on Saturday.
“A lot of people whose main experience with transportation is through their car … trying different options can be helpful, because once you step into that role, you kind of see just how dangerous it can be.”
Sunday’s memorial ride starts at 12:30 near the English Fountain on 615 Alabama Street, Indianapolis.
It will ride through downtown to the Fountain Square neighborhood, where more cyclists are expected to join at about 12:45 p.m.
The ride ends at 2176 Shelby Street at about 1 p.m. The vigil and memorial walk will then take place.
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