Cyclist hit-and-run injures jogger

COEUR d’ALENE — Coeur d’Alene Police are seeking information on a hit-and-run accident between a bicyclist and jogger on the Centennial Trail earlier this month.

According to a Coeur d’Alene Police report, the victim, Lisa Holmes, was running westbound on the Centennial Trail along Mullan Avenue when she was hit by a bicyclist traveling at a high rate of speed.

“I had been out running 6 miles that day,” she said, explaining that she was running along Silver Beach. “I was on my way back and turned left on Mullan Avenue.”

She said when she approached 17th Street facing traffic, she heard someone yell “on your left” from behind her so she stepped to the right to give bicyclist room to pass, but hit her at full speed and they both fell to the ground.

“It all happened very quickly within a couple of seconds,” she said. “In a daze I sat up on the curb and put my head down. I didn’t even think to snap a picture of him with my cellphone.”

Holmes said when the bicyclist got up he started screaming at her and cursing her out. He then got on his bike and rode away.

The accident fractured Holmes’ left elbow and her right shoulder. Police reported that she also sustained significant bruising and scrapes on her right calf where the bike tire hit her. Her knees, elbows and the palms of both hands were also scraped up.

“Now I am in two arm slings for six weeks,” she said.

The police report says another bicyclist, Randy Wilson, witnessed the accident.

He told police he was riding behind the other bicyclist and Holmes. He heard the man say he was coming up on her left. Wilson said he saw Holmes step to the right and watched the bicyclist move to the right as well and “mowed her over.”

Wilson stopped to help the two of them, and witnessed the bicyclist “reading her the riot act.” Wilson told the rider to quit yelling at Holmes, but he proceeded to do so anyway.

Wilson told police that he asked if they were OK, and left the scene after they said they were.

He described the bicyclist as being in his early 60s, wearing a helmet, dark wraparound sunglasses and a blue cycling jersey. Holmes said the man had black cycling shorts or pants and was riding a black racing bicycle, but Wilson and Holmes did not know what brand the bike was.

“I am hoping that somebody from the bicycling community may know something,” Holmes said. “Or maybe a bike shop because he probably would have had to take his bike in for repairs.”

Holmes said she had a 10K race to run this week, but now she’ll have to sit that one out.

“I sure hope someone knows something,” she said. “It would be nice if we could find him.”