Barnwell, South Carolina (SC), police have taken a man into custody on suspicion of drunk driving and fleeing the scene of an accident in which a bike rider sustained fatal injuries. The deadly bicycle-car crash occurred shortly before midnight on Highway 64 through the town of Barnwell.
The bicyclist who lost his life was heading west on the highway when he was struck by a car heading east. The deceased victim initially survived, but he died after being taken to a hospital. Blood tests will be needed to determine how impaired the suspect at-fault driver was, but preliminary felony charges for driving under the influence and causing a death have been filed.
Bicycles are allowed on the road where the fatal wreck happened, even at night. Drivers have the responsibility to treat bikes and riders with the same respect as they do other cars and drivers. This means drivers must yield right of way to bicyclists, pass safely and slow down when road and traffic conditions make passing dangerous. Most of all, drivers must stay in their own lane. Ignoring these basic rules of the road simply because the other vehicle is "just a bike" leads to too many irreversible tragedies like this one in Barnwell.
EJL
