Apparent hit and run at 12th & Constitution

[Tania]

https://www.popville.com/2018/09/i-heard-the-collision-and-saw-the-guy-fall-and-the-car-speed-away/

A reader reports around 7:45am:

“Apparent hit and run at 12th & Constitution- I just saw a man on a bike apparently get hit by a car that then drove away without stopping. (I say “apparently” because I did not actually see the crash – I was stopped at the light coming off the 12th St Expressway and happened to be looking down at the second of the impact – but I heard the collision and saw the guy fall and the car speed away.)

Within seconds a cop appeared, so I am really hopeful he saw the car involved. The cyclist was motionless on the ground. Several people jumped out of their cars to assist the cop, and I called for an ambulance and to describe the car involved (although I’m sure the cop beat me to it).

This was incredibly distressing to see and I know I won’t be able to get this out of my head all day. If anyone finds out any more information about this as the day goes on, please let us know. I hope the poor guy is OK.”

[MrTinDC]

Update: Martin Austermuhle of WAMU says that per an email from MPD, the cyclist has died.

[dbehrend]

DCist updated their story too (http://dcist.com/2018/09/cyclist_struck_in_hit_and_run_near.php

The cyclist succumbed to his injuries, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. He has been identified as Thomas Hendricks Hollowell, a 64-year-old from Arlington.

Police said the driver of a dark-colored sedan ran through a red traffic light, hitting Hollowell at “a high rate of speed.” The sedan drove northbound on 12th Street NW without stopping.

[n18]

@dbehrend 181384 wrote:

DCist updated their story too (http://dcist.com/2018/09/cyclist_struck_in_hit_and_run_near.php):

The cyclist succumbed to his injuries, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. He has been identified as Thomas Hendricks Hollowell, a 64-year-old from Arlington.

Police said the driver of a dark-colored sedan ran through a red traffic light, hitting Hollowell at “a high rate of speed.” The sedan drove northbound on 12th Street NW without stopping.

Fixed link: http://dcist.com/2018/09/cyclist_struck_in_hit_and_run_near.php

[Starduster]

From The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bicyclist-killed-in-hit-and-run-crash-along-the-mall-in-dc/2018/09/25/234be698-c0d5-11e8-be77-516336a26305_story.html?utm_term=.92f46d4c13c0

[n18]

Video and pictures about the victim:

http://www.fox5dc.com/news/local-news/family-mourns-loss-of-64-year-old-bicyclist-killed-in-dc-hit-and-run

[Tania]

About lost my shit just now on a coworker (who bikes to work!) when he said “well, it’s partially the cyclist’s fault. I mean, he was in the crosswalk!” Dude! The driver ran a red light! “Oh, well, I didn’t know that. Still, you shouldn’t expect cars to see you when you’re in the crosswalk.”

Not kidding.

[Starduster]

@Tania 181475 wrote:

About lost my shit just now on a coworker (who bikes to work!) when he said “well, it’s partially the cyclist’s fault. I mean, he was in the crosswalk!” Dude! The driver ran a red light! “Oh, well, I didn’t know that. Still, you shouldn’t expect cars to see you when you’re in the crosswalk.”

Not kidding.

If you fully lose your shit on him, we’ll bail you out. He has it comin’…

[baiskeli]

@Tania 181475 wrote:

“you shouldn’t expect cars to see you when you’re in the crosswalk.”

So nobody should ever cross a street again.

[Sunyata]

@Tania 181475 wrote:

“Still, you shouldn’t expect cars to see you when you’re in the crosswalk.”

Umm… I am not sure there are even words for how stupid this sounds. That is EXACTLY what crosswalks are for! :mad::mad::mad:

You have way more restraint that I do. I absolutely would have lost my shit on anyone that said that to me.

[chuxtr]

@Tania 181475 wrote:

About lost my shit just now on a coworker (who bikes to work!) when he said “well, it’s partially the cyclist’s fault. I mean, he was in the crosswalk!” Dude! The driver ran a red light! “Oh, well, I didn’t know that. Still, you shouldn’t expect cars to see you when you’re in the crosswalk.”

Not kidding.

Lose it! So this person never crosses a street? And what should all those pedestrians use to cross the street if not the crosswalk?

[mstone]

@chuxtr 181493 wrote:

And what should all those pedestrians use to cross the street if not the crosswalk?

It’s actually safer to cross midblock, but inconvenient for motorists.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Regardless of where the cyclist was, it was 100% the driver’s fault. But your coworker made a clumsy and insensitive though valid geometric observation.

A cyclist taking a line on the sidewalk and using the crosswalk–if there are cars already stopped for the red light–likely has an obstructed line of sight and no reaction time to avoid a red light runner in another traffic lane. A cyclist taking a lane in the roadway is 10 to 15 feet farther away from the obstructed line of sight, has a larger cone of vision and more time to be seen or react to a car running a red light. Still no guarantee that it avoids a collision, but improves the odds slightly with an extra split second.

It’s the same geometric line-of-sight problem with the ROW crosswalk on GWMP by Memorial Bridge where there are two lanes of traffic and the first lane yields to the cyclist but the second lane doesn’t see the cyclist because the stopped car blocks the line of sight and so does not yield.

[MrTinDC]

Memorial Ride information has been posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2256777814395578/

[wheelswings]

@MrTinDC 181523 wrote:

Memorial Ride information has been posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2256777814395578/

I’m bumping this up for those who would like to join today’s memorial ride for Arlington resident Tom Hollowell, who was killed last month by a hit-and-run driver on Constitution Ave (driver plowed through the red light).

Memorial ride is today (Oct. 4) at 5:15 pm. starting at Farragut Square.

https://www.facebook.com/events/2256777814395578/

See you there. Be safe. w&w

[Author]

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