News

By Angie Francalancia

    Delray Beach police have closed their investigation into the April fatality in which a bicyclist was killed on A1A by a truck. The driver was not at fault, and police have no basis to charge him, said Sgt. Richard Jacobson, who oversaw the investigation. They have forwarded the file to the state attorney’s office for review, which is required under state law any time there’s a traffic accident involving a fatality, he said.
    Adam M. Theall, 38, of Boca Raton, died when he collided with the truck at the intersection of A1A and Del Harbor Drive just south of Linton Boulevard.
    “The bicyclist was totally at fault,” Jacobson said. Witnesses said Theall was traveling behind the truck and some cars that were behind it. The truck and cars all slowed when the truck approached the intersection, but the bicyclist continued at the same speed, Jacobson said, passing the cars and colliding with the turning truck at the intersection.
    “The guy should have slowed down,” Jacobson said, adding that bicycle riders must use the same rules as motor vehicles when they ride on the streets. “If he was in a car, would it be proper for a car to pass on the right? No.”
    The truck was a commercial vehicle carrying a roll-off trash bin. Because of the height of the truck, the driver would have been unable to see the bicycle rider once he began the turn, Jacobson said.
    The accident sparked speculation among members of SAFE, a bicycle and pedestrian safety advocacy organization.
 SAFE Chairman Jim Smith had contacted the state Department of Transportation, asking for engineers to investigate the safety of the intersection.
    Although there are bike lanes north of the area, the intersection where the accident occurred has none. In this case, it wouldn’t have made a difference, Jacobson said.
    “It’s very unfortunate. Crashes are normally due to several factors, not one factor. I’m sure if the truck and bicyclist both exercised a greater safety, the accident could have been averted,” Smith said.
    “There’s no doubt that cars violate bicyclists’ right of way, especially where there’s public parking. You see conflict between the motorists who might be trying to park and the bicycles. But a lot of times bicyclists don’t want to slow down. It’s got to work both
ways.”