ST. JOSEPH CO., Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana State Police say that a bicyclist was struck and killed on the Indiana Toll Road early Saturday morning.
Just after 4 a.m., a Kia was traveling near the 71.8-mile marker heading westbound when the vehicle hit the man on the bike.
Police say the driver of the Kia remained on the scene and was fully cooperative.
ISP released the following:
Saturday morning, at approximately 4:05 a.m., Indiana State Police Dispatch received calls of a person on a bicycle being struck by a car on the Indiana Toll Road near the 71.8 mile marker in the westbound lanes. This is just west of Exit 72 for the US 20 Bypass. Troopers from the Indiana State Police Toll Road Post and Deputies with the St. Joseph County Police Department responded to the call as well as South Bend Fire and EMS.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Austin Slone indicates that a black 2021 Kia was traveling westbound in the left lane when an adult male on a bicycle rode from the right shoulder and crossed into the path of the Kia. The Kia struck the unidentified male causing fatal injuries.
The driver of the Kia remained on scene and cooperated with troopers during the investigation. The driver of the Kia was not injured but was transported to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, IN for a chemical test as required by Indiana law in fatal crashes. The results of this test are pending.
The St. Joseph County Coroner responded to the scene and is working to make a positive identification of the bicyclist. Westbound traffic was diverted off the Indiana Toll Road at Exit 72 during the crash investigation. Westbound lanes reopened at approximately 5:49 a.m.
Indiana law requires bicycles to be equipped with a lamp on the front that exhibits a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet and a red light or red reflector visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear if the bicycle is operated on a highway from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise, however bicycles are prohibited on the Indiana Toll Road.
This is an ongoing investigation and there is no other information to release at this time.
