Update: Little Rock Bicyclist Hospitalized Since November Accident Dies
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: December 18, 2012
Update (December 18):
A Little Rock bicyclist hospitalized in critical condition since November 10th has died.
Police say Dianne McConnell, 65, passed away today.
She had been in a coma since a car hit her as she rode along Kavanaugh Boulevard on that Saturday.
Investigators are still awaiting blood tests in the case and will soon send their findings to the Pulaski County Prosecutor's Office, who will decide if any charges will be filed in the accident.
Original story (November 14):
A Little Rock woman remains in a coma Wednesday (11/14) after she was seriously hurt in a bicycle accident the previous weekend.
Other Arkansas cyclists say they worry the same thing could happen to them. Those cyclists are now pushing hard to convince city leaders to make the streets safer.
While it's unclear who should take fault for the accident, a local group says it is clear how this accident happened and there may have been ways to prevent it.
Ragan Sutterfield takes his bicycle everywhere.
He takes every precaution and for good reason.
"I'm a new father," he proudly said. "Had a baby this year."
But sometimes all the bodily protection isn't enough.
In an area where cyclists are forced to weave through traffic, Sutterfield says a complicated intersection without bicycle awareness precautions may have led to a fellow cyclist getting in an accident.
It's clear how the triangular intersection could be confusing where Kavanaugh Blvd., Club and Van Buren all meet. That's where the accident that's left 65 year old Diane McConnell in a coma.
Tim McKuin is the president of an organization of about 600 members who advocate for better conditions for cyclists in Central Arkansas. It's called Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas (BACA).
The frequency of these types of accidents has them fighting for safer conditions in Little Rock.
They want the city to install sharrows.
"It's not a bike lane, it's a large symbol in the street that just reminds everybody that this is not only for cars," McKuin explained.
They're passing around a petition to gather signatures to present during an upcoming city council meeting. They hope city leaders will recognize the need to help protect the people like Sutterfield on just two wheels.
It means a lot to Sutterfield considering he now has quite a bit more to live for.
For more information on these efforts and the BACA Organization, click here.
A Little Rock bicyclist hospitalized in critical condition since November 10th has died.
Police say Dianne McConnell, 65, passed away today.
She had been in a coma since a car hit her as she rode along Kavanaugh Boulevard on that Saturday.
Investigators are still awaiting blood tests in the case and will soon send their findings to the Pulaski County Prosecutor's Office, who will decide if any charges will be filed in the accident.
Original story (November 14):
A Little Rock woman remains in a coma Wednesday (11/14) after she was seriously hurt in a bicycle accident the previous weekend.
Other Arkansas cyclists say they worry the same thing could happen to them. Those cyclists are now pushing hard to convince city leaders to make the streets safer.
While it's unclear who should take fault for the accident, a local group says it is clear how this accident happened and there may have been ways to prevent it.
Ragan Sutterfield takes his bicycle everywhere.
He takes every precaution and for good reason.
"I'm a new father," he proudly said. "Had a baby this year."
But sometimes all the bodily protection isn't enough.
In an area where cyclists are forced to weave through traffic, Sutterfield says a complicated intersection without bicycle awareness precautions may have led to a fellow cyclist getting in an accident.
It's clear how the triangular intersection could be confusing where Kavanaugh Blvd., Club and Van Buren all meet. That's where the accident that's left 65 year old Diane McConnell in a coma.
Tim McKuin is the president of an organization of about 600 members who advocate for better conditions for cyclists in Central Arkansas. It's called Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas (BACA).
The frequency of these types of accidents has them fighting for safer conditions in Little Rock.
They want the city to install sharrows.
"It's not a bike lane, it's a large symbol in the street that just reminds everybody that this is not only for cars," McKuin explained.
They're passing around a petition to gather signatures to present during an upcoming city council meeting. They hope city leaders will recognize the need to help protect the people like Sutterfield on just two wheels.
It means a lot to Sutterfield considering he now has quite a bit more to live for.
For more information on these efforts and the BACA Organization, click here.
Comments
The driver in this incident was Ronald Ward, who drove a 2012 Ford Fusion.
anonymous a.
December 18, 2012 at 5:25 pm
