CLEAR LAKE – A Clear Lake woman was bike riding today when she was struck by a flat bed truck, leading to a helicopter ride to Mercy Hospital.
According to a report from the Iowa State Patrol. 62-year-old Sally Bell was riding a bicycle west on 340th Street at about 10:36 AM when she ventured through an intersection at Balsam Avenue and was met by a 2008 flatbed truck, driven by 63-year-old Timothy Cole, also of Clear Lake.
As a result of the accident, Bell was flown to Mercy Hospital by air ambulance for undisclosed injuries.
An investigation into the accident is underway at this time. Worth county sheriff assisted at the scene, as did Forest City ambulance and Iowa DOT.
I know a guy who was out there right after this happened. He said it was bad.
There is a stop sign there at Balsam and 340th, the bike rider must have pulled into his travel path when he was going at most 55 mph, maybe less.
Mr. Cole has to feel terrible right now, but I don’t see where he was at fault here with the information we have been given in this article. Wonder what was going on in her mind when she rode through that stop sign with a vehicle coming at her that couldn’t possibly stop in time. That is right where the hill peaks headed southbound on Balsam.
@John-I heard this morning that the lady died. I am sorry to hear that, but people on bikes must understand they are not easy to see, especially on a country road. Who knows, the sun could have been in the drivers eyes too. No matter what the circumstances are the driver must live with the knowledge that someone was killed. My sympathy to both.