It is with much tragedy in our hearts that we report the tragic bike crash on Thursday March 3rd in Tucson Arizona, Pima County. According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department a man named Brian Lynch, 28 years old, was driving under the influence when he struck a group of 10 cyclists stopped at a red light. Stopped at a red light! The wreck occurred approximately at 12:30pm in he light of day. Out of the 10 cyclists in the group 5 were struck by Lynch. Clare Rhodes, 72 years old, died at the scene. Kenneth Vieria, 68 years old, died after being transported to the hospital. The other cyclists were transported to the hospital where one remains in critical condition.
Brian Lynch was arrested for driving under the influence, 2 counts of manslaughter, 2 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 1 count of aggravated assault with serious injury and criminal damage.
The bicyclists were reported as members of Santa Fe Seniors on Bikes from New Mexico. All of the cyclists were reported to have been legally in the bike lane.
What can be done in a scenario like this? How can you prevent such an accident from happening? Most of us think we are safe when we are stopped at a red light. Most of us think that during the light of day we can surely be seen and no driver would ever hit us when we are legally in the bike lane stopped at a red light. The answer in my opinion is you are probably right. This is an extremely rare scenario. There is just not much you can do as a cyclist when an impaired driver is behind the wheel. That is exactly what impaired driving results in! This Brian Lynch guy drinks a few too many beers, or consumes drugs, etc. and then drives around and can then not see a group of 10 cyclists stopped at the red light. Did he even see the red light? Who knows.
As a bicycle crash lawyer I have a ton of questions I would love to ask Mr. Brian Lynch. Believe me, you don;t have to go all crazy nuts on a guy like this. He probably already feels guilty. While I am less concerned for how he feels and more concerned for getting to the bottom of how and why he couldn’t see such a decent sized group of cyclists stopped at a red light, I would still line up for some tough questions.
In my experience an impaired or even a distracted driver — i.e. some idiot texting while driving — in their 2 ton truck is no match for a bicyclist or even a group of bicyclists whop are simply vulnerable to the decisions of the drivers who are supposed to share the roads with us cyclists. This is a terrible and tragic experience that leaves me personally disturbed and deeply saddened. I hope that out of this tragic bike crash at least some justice can be served, some reform in bicycle legislation can be reached, some deeper awareness by other drivers can be obtained. My heart and prayers are with the families and victims of those who were so tragically affected by this bike wreck.
Tucson Arizona bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge
If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle accident caused by road debris, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States.
Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.
Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.
A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free
In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.
Ben dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:
- your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
- the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
- your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
- the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
- the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.
You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.
Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC
Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.
Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com
His main Arizona offices are located at:
Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206
Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016
Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701
Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and can assist in representation in all 50 states.