An early morning vehicular accident on September 12 in south-central Midland resulted in the death of a bicyclist.
The Midland Police Department (MPD) shared a Facebook post about the incident, stating it occurred shortly after 6:30 a.m.
According to the post, the unidentified male bicyclist attempted to cross Carter Avenue when a white Chevy 2500 pickup truck hit him. MPD said in an incident report that a preliminary investigation revealed the victim was traveling southbound on Johnston Street without proper equipment.
The collision impacted the truck’s front quarter panel. Officers who responded to the accident pronounced the bicyclist dead at the scene. MPD is currently investigating.
Over the summer, the Permian law enforcement agency urged both pedestrians and motorists to be vigilant and mindful of their surroundings on Tall City's streets. According to a July 18 Facebook post by MPD, authorities stressed everyone to stay alert, follow traffic signals, and look out for each other.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reported that in 2022 alone, there were 2,349 traffic crashes involving bicyclists in the state, resulting in 92 deaths and 333 serious injuries. The top contributing factors in these crashes were driver inattention, failure to yield the right of way, and speeding, according to TxDOT.