Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 cycling community is frustrated over the recent hit-and-run incidents that have gone unsolved despite a licence plate and convincing descriptions of both cars.
Oddly enough both are Dodge Dakotas, though the incidents are unrelated. Both are presumed intentional by the cyclists.
The first occurred on Feb. 24 when elite road cyclists Kurt Penno, 17, and Mitchell Ketler, 19, were on a training ride heading south on Millstream Lake Road going onto Millstream Road when a silver Dakota passed them, Ketler said. The truck then intentionally drove onto the shoulder in front of them and slammed on its brakes, forcing Penno to slam into the back of the truck at nearly 45 km/h, suffering only minor injuries.
The latest incident was April 21 when elite cyclist Megan Barnes, 14, on Willis Point Road by a different Dodge Dakota while on during a training ride with Casey Garrison, 15. Barnes flew through the air and landed on a grassy patch and avoided a much worse fate.
The driver who hit Barnes is described is a blonde woman, possibly heavier set, while the suspect who hit Penno is a young male in his 20s with a young woman in the passenger seat.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 watching for Dodge Dakotas everywhere I go,B次元官网网址� said Lister Farrar, coach of Tripleshot Cycling team that features Barnes and Garrison. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 of two minds, I donB次元官网网址檛 want to doubt the police but I also donB次元官网网址檛 want this to slide.B次元官网网址�
In both incidents the drivers sped away from the scene but neither the West Shore RCMP, who investigated the Penno incident, nor the Saanich Police, who investigated the Barnes incident, have been able to identify a suspect. And while there is a belief that the Barnes incident was intentional, Saanich Police doesnB次元官网网址檛 have the evidence yet to support that, said Sgt. Jereme Leslie.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e donB次元官网网址檛 have the evidence to support the fact that in this particular set of circumstances that [Barnes was struck] intentionally, though thatB次元官网网址檚 what is out there,B次元官网网址� Leslie said. B次元官网网址淪ome people feel that is the case, but our investigations are evidence based, we donB次元官网网址檛 know if she was intentionally trying to run the cyclist off the road.B次元官网网址�
Regardless, Saanich Police believe the driver who hit Barnes knew what happened and should have stopped.
B次元官网网址淭his is unacceptable, thereB次元官网网址檚 a huge push for justice to be done, not just awareness,B次元官网网址� said Jon Watkin, former pro cyclist and well known local cycling promoter. B次元官网网址淓veryone in the cycling community is rallying around Megan and want Saanich Police to find this person.B次元官网网址�
The use of a car as a weapon is of particular concern, said Watkin, a former elite level cyclist who was intentionally hit during a race in the 1990s in Courtenay.
B次元官网网址淚 know what Barnes is going through,B次元官网网址� Watkin said. B次元官网网址淚 was hit from behind by a pickup truck during a time trial race in Courtenay and thrown 25 feet in the air. Like Barnes I was lucky I wasnB次元官网网址檛 injured worse. This is a [4,000- to 5,000-pound] truck against a cyclist.B次元官网网址�
In the Penno collision Ketler said he was lucky he had his head up when the truck hit the brakes.
B次元官网网址淚 was able to swerve into the oncoming lane to avoid the truck,B次元官网网址� Ketler said. B次元官网网址淧enno had his head down and had no chance, he barely hit the brakes if at all.B次元官网网址�
There was absolutely no reason to stop there other than to antagonize the cyclists, Ketler said.
B次元官网网址淲e were riding on the shoulder doing intervals of about 45km/h when the truck pulled onto the shoulder in front of us and slammed on the brakes,B次元官网网址� Ketler said.
Despite Penno crashing into the truck, the driver took off but stopped briefly about 5o metres up the road. Ketler, unharmed, made a quick decision to chase it in an attempt to get the license plate number.
B次元官网网址淚t allowed me to catch up, he did a bit of a look back through his rear view mirror, but took off when he saw me coming,B次元官网网址� Ketler said. B次元官网网址淚 memorized the license plate and gave it to the [West Shore RCMP].B次元官网网址�
Ketler said the RCMP told him the owner of the truck was out of the country during the time of the incident and he hasnB次元官网网址檛 heard anything since.
In both cases the riders expressed they did nothing to provoke the drivers, who clearly violated B.C.B次元官网网址檚 one-metre distance rule between cars and bikes.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know of any 14 year old girl who would enter into a conflict with a driver, let alone [Barnes and Garrison],B次元官网网址� Farrar said. B次元官网网址淭hey are model kids, great students and athletes, and two of the kids I could least imagine doing this.B次元官网网址�
Watkin said he still goes for long cycling rides and did the MunnB次元官网网址檚 Road-Millstream loop, which is close to both of the hit-and-run incidents, with a cyclist who happens to be an off-duty police officer.
B次元官网网址淲e were on the lookout for Dakotas,B次元官网网址� Watkin said.
reporter@saanichnews.com
