The Blog Page

News, commentary and humor about bicycling and other topics of the day

Monday, June 26, 2006

Bicycle tragedies far and close to home

Today, I pass along word of two bicycle deaths.

One took place near Washington state, a long way away from my home here in Southwestern Illinois, but it was one that hit close to home.

Philip Smith of Banner, Wyo., was killed Sunday in a bicycle accident Sunday south of Davenport, Wash. The Associated Press reported that Phil was heading south on Highway 38 when he was struck by a vehicle. Details are sketchy in the AP story, but AP did report charges are pending in the accident.

I got to know Phil -- a friend of Bubba Barron, the owner of Bubba's Pampered Pedalers -- on Cycle North Carolina in 2002 and SAGBRAW in 2003. Phil -- like Bubba -- was a bigger-than-life character, so it was no accident that Phil and Bubba crossed paths.

Phil wasn't afraid to let you know what he thought, but he was most definitely an entertaining man. My account of the 2003 SAGBRAW ride includes a photo of Phil. Since we were camping less than two miles from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, you can imagine what he was wearing while entertaining the people being pampered by Bubba. Yep, a cheesehead. It didn't matter that he was living in San Francisco at the time. He had to do what the local do.

The second took place in New Melle, Mo. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported this:
Jeremy Rowlatt, 47, of Ballwin, was killed at 5 p.m. Saturday in a hit-and-run accident in New Melle. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, Rowlatt was riding his bicycle on Highway T, about a mile south of Highway D and north of the entrance to the Lake Sherwood development. A red Chevrolet pickup driving south on Highway T struck him and then fled the scene, a patrol spokesman said.

Police later arrested Earl Anderson, 38, of Overland, on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident.
It will be interesting to find out whether prosecutors will file more serious charges against Anderson.

Roger 2 comments 2:00 PM

Comments:

Thank you for posting the article and photo of Phil Smith. He was a good friend. I can't believe he's gone.

# posted by

Anonymous : 1:11 AM

Jeremy was my husband. HIs killer received 15 years and is now in State Prison Missouri. It was not an accident. The man disliked cyclists as they use up road space.

# posted by

Anonymous : 4:17 AM