gschreckchat@comcast.net
Unforutunately, a very good reminder about why we need to obey the centerline rule.
--
George Schreck
gschreckchat@comcast.net
(503) 502-0425
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Stephen Hemminger"
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jul07/jul03news
>
> Cyclist killed in midwest road race
>
> By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor
>
> A 24 year-old first-year racer was killed Saturday when a passing
> truck struck her while competing in the Proctor Cycling Classic in
> Brimfield, Illinois near Peoria. Beth Kobeszka (XXX Racing-AthletiCo)
> from Chicago was competing in the women's category 4 road race when
> she was reportedly bumped into the path of the truck pulling a horse
> trailer.
>
> Witnesses of the accident reported that riders had crossed the middle
> yellow line as the pack of about 25 to 30 crested a small hill four
> miles from the race finish along Brimfield-Jubilee road. The truck was
> headed in the opposite direction legally as the race was operating
> under the 'yellow line rule.' The police report said that Kobeszka was
> bumped into the path of the truck by another racer.
>
> "There had been some girls passing on the left several times and the
> lead car came back to tell people about the yellow line rule," Katie
> Haft (Morris Trucking Velo), who was racing in the event, told
> Cyclingnews. "We came up the crest of the hill and I don't know if
> people were passing or if they were bumped if while a truck pulling a
> trailer was coming the other direction."
>
> "I just saw people getting tangled and one woman fell into the side of
> the trailer and it rolled over her," Haft said.
>
> "A few on the front kept going but a lot of people stopped. People
> were really unsure of what to do. I stopped for a while and the follow
> car in back stopped but there was probably nothing I could do."
>
> Kobeszka was transported to a local hospital with multiple injuries
> and was pronounced dead later the same day.
>
> The police report said that the truck was driven by Thomas S.
> Milligan, 48, of Quincy, Illinois and that he stopped immediately
> after the collision.
>
> "Our prayers and thoughts are with the family of the young lady,"
> Milligan told the Peoria Journal Star from his home Sunday. "I've got
> two daughters and I can't even imagine what they're going through. It
> was a tragic thing. It's just a shock."
>
> No charges are expected in the case, according to police.
>
> Kobeszka was new to the XXX team but was a part of its women's
> development squad, headed by Randy Warren, which focused on racing.
> "She graduated from Northwestern University and was a runner there,"
> said Warren. "She was was relatively new, joining the team this year,
> but was pretty gung-ho about racing. She was part of the women's
> development program which means signing agreement to race, and she won
> the Cobb Park criterium last weekend."
>
> The already scheduled July 2 team meeting has been transformed into a
> forum for team-mates to deal with the tragedy. "One of our members is
> also a chaplain and will lead us in grief counseling," said Warren.
> "We are working with her mum to decide where to have a memorial fund
> set up. The funeral will be this week."
>
> Warren also said that the team's August criterium in Chicago might
> also serve as a memorial. "We are thinking of naming the women's race
> after her."
>
> More information about the memorial can be found on the team's web
> site: www.xxxracing.org. Cyclingnews extends its condolences to the
> family and friends.
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