Driver Who Killed 65 Year Old Bicyclist In Jersey County Taken Into Custody

Kajavion McCarvey

A 21 year old man is in custody more than two months after killing a 65 year old bicyclist in Jersey County, Illinois, according to RiverBender.com.  Kajavion McCarvey of East Alton turned himself in on Wednesday after Jersey County authorities announced charges of Aggravated DUI and Reckless Homicide against him earlier this week.

Carol Admire, Courtesy of
RiverBender.com

The arrest stems from a collision on May 23rd that left Carol R. Admire of Alton, Illinois dead at the scene.  She was riding southbound on the shoulder of State Highway 100 around 4:00 p.m. when the allegedly intoxicated driver, also southbound, hit her with his pickup truck, according to the RiverBender.com.  Initial media reports of the crash presented a slanted view of the incident, suggesting that Ms. Admire had been riding in too dangerous a location along the busy road.  Local television station KSDK placed emphasis on the existence of a bicycle path on the other side of the roadway from where Ms. Admire was riding.  The no-so-subtle suggestion is that she should have been riding on the path instead.  See for yourself:

It is important to remember that Illinois, unlike some states, does not require that bicyclists use a separated bike path where one has been provided.  Also, Ms. Admire was apparently riding with traffic, on the southbound side of the highway also known as Great River Road.  As noted in the news report above, the shoulder on which she was riding was commonly used by cyclists.  Great River Road is a scenic highway that runs along the Mississippi River.  In light of these facts, it is deeply disappointing that initial reports placed undue emphasis on the bicyclist's conduct rather than on the driver who may have been intoxicated.

In our experience, driver's rarely face criminal charges from causing injury or death to bicyclists.  It is encouraging to seen that the State's Attorney in Jersey County has decided to pursue charges that could see the driver facing in excess of 14 years in jail.

Aurora Man With Criminal Past Charged With Killing Mom, Computer Engineer Riding Bicycle

Johua Spuhler,
Courtesy CBS2 Chicago

Shwu-Wei Yeh

An aurora man with a history of criminal offenses, including an earlier DUI conviction, has been charged by Naperville police for aggravated driving under the influence of a controlled substance arising from the death of a 56 year old bicyclist in September, according to The Chicago Tribune.  

Shwu-Wei Yeh, a mother of two and resident of Naperville, was killed on  September 25, 2013 after being struck by a pick-up truck driven by Joshua Spuhler, 36.  She was riding her bike across Diehl Road, near the intersection with Freedom Drive, at about 7:25 a.m. when she was struck by Spuhler, driving a gray 2006 Nissan Titan east on Diehl.  The crash occurred about a mile from Yeh's home, according to CBS2 Chicago. Spuhler will appear in court in DuPage County on Feburary 10th to face charges of having drugs in his system at the time of the crash, according to The Trib.  About 11 years ago, he spent time in jail for "inebriated driving," and is a convicted burglar, according to CBS2 Chicago which has looked extensively into Spuhler's criminal past.

Yeh was a Technical Manager at Alcatel-Lucent with an advanced degree in computer engineering from North Carolina State University and a "brilliant mathematical mind."  Her obituary notes that, "She couldn't have been friends with more people without accidentally having conquered the universe."

Police Searching for Silver SUV That Struck, Killed 8 Year Old Riding Bicycle In Front Of Her Home

Eight year old Mariela Crisostomo died early this morning of injuries suffered when she was struck by a hit-and-run SUV as she rode her bicycle in front of her home in Chicago Lawn.  Mariela lived with her parents on a quiet street on the 3300 bock of West 62nd Place.  Her parents only allowed her to ride near her home which they felt would keep her away from motor vehicle traffic.  Yesterday, however, the female driver of a gray or silver SUV violated the serenity of the neighborhood, crashing into young Mariela so hard that she was thrown off her bicycle and underneath a parked car.  Neighbors who witnessed the horrifying scene saw the woman speed away from the collision.  Police are still looking for the driver.

This story was reported by William Lee of the Chicago Tribune.  Read the full article here.

In Memory Of A Fallen Cyclist

Here is the Chicago Tribune's remembrance of Liza Whitacre:

Woman killed on bicycle loved freedom of riding

Loyola University student Liza Whitacre loved life -- especially one where she could roam freely through Chicago's streets on a bicycle.

But a freak accident ended her life on Wednesday as she and her roommate rode their bikes through the Lakeview neighborhood.

Whitacre, of the 4900 block of North Winthrop Avenue, fell from her bike, landed underneath a truck and was run over by the vehicle outside Hamlin Park on Damen and Wellington Avenues. Police said she was trying to pass between the truck and a CTA bus when she fell off her bike.

Chicago police today said no citations would likely be issued against the driver of the truck. After the accident at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Officer John Mirabelli, a police spokesman said, "The truck driver was apparently unaware that the woman had fallen underneath."

Whitacre was pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

"She rode her bike everywhere. She loved riding her bike," said Tony Dreyfuss, Whitacre's boss at the Metropolis Coffee Company, 1039 W. Granville Ave., where she worked.

Dreyfuss said Whitacre participated in Critical Mass, a monthly biking event that draws up to 3,000 cyclists who ride through Chicago's streets. But Dreyfuss, who has ridden with Whitacre, described her as a careful rider who wouldn't dart into traffic or travel in between moving cars.

Dreyfuss said Whitacre planned on making coffee her career. Whitacre worked as a retail and wholesale trainer at the shop, training other employees how to make specialty coffee drinks and promoting the shop's products to customers, he said.

The coffee shop was closed today because of Whitacre's death and expected to reopen Friday morning, Dreyfuss said.

Whitacre's family members said she was fluent in French, studying the language at Loyola University. She also enjoyed knitting, sewing and cooking.

Whitacre's younger sister, Lauren Whitacre, said she and Liza were inseparable while growing up.

Lauren, 18, said she and her sister always sat next to one another at birthday parties. As children when they'd ride bikes together, Lauren said, Liza would always hide in bushes and pop out from them just to scare her.

"I don't think we ever didn't do anything together," said Lauren, a student at Columbia College, who jokingly described her big sister as "bossy."

Liza Whitacre was born in Phoenix, Ariz., but spent her formative years in the northwest suburb of Palatine, where she attended Fremd High School.

Other survivors include Liza's mother, Cecilia Whitacre, her father, David Whitacre, a younger brother, Max, two grandmothers, a grandfather, two uncles and an aunt.

A wake is scheduled for Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Loyola's Madonna della Strada Chapel, 6525 N. Sheridan Rd. Her funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Willow Creek Community Church, 67 E. Algonquin Rd., South Barrington.

--Jeremy Gorner