Spokane7
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March 2, 2010 in City
Bicyclist killed in downtown crash ID’d
Driver booked in fatal crash with bicyclist
A driver in Spokane was arrested by police Monday night after fleeing the scene of a fatal collision with a bicyclist at Division Street and Sprague Avenue in downtown.
Scott C. Reckord, 49, was booked into Spokane County Jail on a vehicular homicide charge after he failed a field sobriety test and on a charge of felony hit and run.
Police said he was driving a pickup that was headed north on one-way Division and turned left to go west on Sprague, where he collided with the bicyclist in a crosswalk.
The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the bicycle rider as David Squires, 56. Squires died of skull fractures caused by blunt impact to the head.
Squires was riding south in the crosswalk at Sprague on the west side of Division when he was hit about 6:40 p.m. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he died.
A witness to the accident followed the fleeing driver until he returned to the scene, police said.
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yikes on March 02 at 8:23 a.m.
Good for the witness!
misjustice on March 02 at 8:34 a.m.
OMG! If not for the witness to the homicide and their incredible actions, it is likely that the police never would have caught Reckord…kudos to the citizen that took action and helped police hold the driver of the vehicle accountable.
My condolences go to the family of the person killed by Reckord’s wanton disregard for other’s safety…
vistadome on March 02 at 9:44 a.m.
Sad thing about this is drunk driving is not taken seriously by the courts. he is looking at maybe 2-3 years, early probation.
The USA looks at dui’s and vehicular homicide as minor offenses. Until the Government and the courts change this law with some teeth in it, the perpetrators will be off the hook, with minor punishment
liarsinnews on March 02 at 10:40 a.m.
Seems to me, with the thousands of motorists pulled over by Spokane`s finest, statistics prove over half of the drivers have been drinking yet I don`t see where that many potential killers are arrested for DUI. What gives?
BarbChamberlain on March 02 at 11:04 a.m.
SB5838 Vulnerable User Bill: http://bit.ly/WASB5838 would have increased penalties for “negligent driving resulting in substantial bodily harm, great bodily harm, or death of a vulnerable user of a public way” (including cyclists, pedestrians, and people in wheelchairs) to include stiffer fines and mandatory driver education along with community service related to traffic safety and a 90-day license suspension.
It is now in the “X file,” meaning it will go no further. You’d have to ask our senators to find out why.
As we gear up for Bike to Work Week this spring (May 16-22), education for all motorists, cyclists and pedestrians about how to make our interactions safer and more civil will be an essential part of our efforts.
If you want to get involved or have ideas that can help us be more effective in trying to prevent some of these tragedies in the future, contact us: info@biketoworkspokane.org, @Bike2WrkSpokane on Twitter, www.facebook.com/BiketoWorkSpokane.
@BarbChamberlain
Co-Chair, Bike to Work Spokane
www.biketoworkspokane.org
Member, City of Spokane Bicycle Advisory Board
eagleproducer on March 02 at 12:10 p.m.
The bycylist should not have been in the crosswalk unless he was walking his bike accross it. Bycyclists MUST adhere to the same rules of the road as a motorist. If you hit another car that was in the crosswalk illegally it would be the fault of the other motorist. The bycyclist, by not following the legal rules of the road, contributed to his injuries and death.
Ken Paulman on March 02 at 12:16 p.m.
At the risk of blaming the victim, Spoketucky is right. In addition, it’s illegal to ride on the sidewalk in downtown Spokane. Bicyclists belong on the roadway.
PlanB on March 02 at 12:25 p.m.
I don’t want to minimize the tragedy here, but…
If Mr. Reckord was making a legal left hand turn, aren’t bicycles supposed to follow the same rules as cars or can they use any part of the curb, street or crosswalk at any time? It was dark out. Was the cyclist wearing some sort of reflective clothing? And as far as being intoxicated, in this state they just have to “think” you are impaired to arrest you. He left, but did return. Maybe he didn’t even realize what had happened initially. I’m not sure, but there are a lot of questions unanswered. And saying he had a “wanton disregard for other’s safety” is a gross exaggeration.
When I ride my bike, I look out for cars. When bike meets car, the bike always loses.
spokanada on March 02 at 4:01 p.m.
So if I understand this correctly, the bicyclist was travelling the wrong way on a one way street?? IS that correct? Was the vicitm riding or walking his bike??
If he was riding then he was not following the law and shares a good portion of the responsibility. Perhaps if the driver hadn’t have been impaired he might have not hit the victim but the victim was not observing the rules of the road.
If this is not correct, please correct me.
zelda on March 02 at 4:59 p.m.
I think that being drunk behind the wheel of a big truck, not rendering aid and fleeing the scene trump being an inattentive cyclist.
Maybe there’s much more to the story we don’t yet know. It’s a bad intersection, it was dark and most motorists are much more focused on avoiding other vehicles than watching for cyclists and pedestrians. However, one’s driving ability tends to get better the less one has to drink.
eagleproducer on March 02 at 5:09 p.m.
The reason behind rules for the road that include bicyclists is so other users of the road can predict what each other will do. The entire social trust of using the roadways is built upon this maxim. It is illegal to ride your bicycle on a sidewalk in downtown Spokane, illegal to ride your bicycle in any marked crosswalk and from the newspaper accounts, the cyclist was riding in the opposite direction of traffic. One can’t predict others will be negligent in their duty to follow laws to any degree of certainty.
While none of these mitigate the factor the driver was impaired, it might be hard to prove he was impaired at the time of the alleged hit and run since he left the scene. It can be argued he had time to consume intoxicants in the interim before being confronted by police.
zelda on March 02 at 5:40 p.m.
Possible but not probable, Spoketucky.
Reading the comments here and on the TV news Web sites, I’m amazed at the number of people so willing to think up reasons that the driver should get off the hook or be dealt with leniently. Are cyclists despised so much that a drunk driver can be excused for accidentally killing one? Yipes.
KREM reported that the driver admitted to having two beers. As the ol’ saying goes, beer should be sold in two-packs because nobody ever drinks more than that.
empyrius on March 02 at 7:37 p.m.
[Drunk] Driver charged with vehicular homicide for fatal crash
http://www.kxly.com/news/22710909/detail.html
Distracted drunken driver crashes into Lewiston home
http://www.kxly.com/news/22716720/detail.html
Tests show sheriff’s lieutenant legally impaired [i.e., drunk] in crash
http://www.kxly.com/news/22722085/detail.html
Quick! We better bust some marijuana consumers because they just may kill a bag of Cheetos!
suzieeizus on March 02 at 7:40 p.m.
Here’s a plan for you, Spokane:
Fire Mr. Ombudsman (who just sits in his big downtown office all day with his thumb in his butt for $70,000 a year) and PAINT SOME BIKE LANES! It would help drivers to see where bicyclists are, and helps bicyclists to be safe and follow the rules of the road. The grand master bike plan is obviously never going to be finished, so let’s just paint some lines. It’s that simple.
Same with crosswalks. How many pedestrians have already been killed this year on Division because the crosswalks are at least 10 city blocks apart? We need to make an actual effort toward making this city safer for bicyclists and pedestrians, not drivers. No more deaths! Paint the lines!
spokanada on March 02 at 7:45 p.m.
I hear a lot of good ideas out there but as well all know, common sense is not that welcome at city hall. We will forever be 15 years behind seattle and portland and that is bad for Spokane.
Hank Greer on March 02 at 7:48 p.m.
According to the Revised Code of Washington, vehicle drivers must yield to pedestrians and bicycles in the crosswalk. RCW 46.261.235 has more detail and also states
“No pedestrian or bicycle shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk, run, or otherwise move into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to stop.”
Now Spokane has a city ordinance 16A.61.787 that states:
“No person may ride a bicycle or non-motorized vehicle upon any sidewalk or other pedestrian way within the retail zone of the congested district of the City as defined by SMC 16A.04.010 and SMC 16A.04.020 , provided that nothing contained herein shall be construed to prohibit the riding of a bicycle or non-motorized vehicle upon any sidewalk or other pedestrian way within any area other than the retail zone of the congested district of the City.”
The congested district as defined by the city ordinance includes the intersection this accident took place it. However, the retail zone is defined as:
“Retail zone of the congested district” means all the area within the congested district bounded as follows:
On the north by the north line of Spokane Falls Boulevard;
On the west by the west line of Monroe Street;
On the south by the south line of Second Avenue from Monroe Street to Washington Street, and the south line of First Avenue from Washington Street to Bernard Street;
On the east by the east line of Washington Street from Second Avenue to First Avenue, and by the east line of Bernard Street from First Avenue to Spokane Falls Boulevard.
The retail zone shall also include both sides of Monroe Street from Main Avenue to Broadway, also both sides of Riverside Avenue, Sprague Avenue and First Avenue from Madison Street to Monroe Street, and both sides of Post Street from Spokane Falls Boulevard north to the Post Street bridge.”
This intersection is clearly outside the retail zone so Mr Squires had every legal right to ride his bike on the sidewalk and through the crosswalk.
Ken Paulman on March 02 at 8:10 p.m.
Thanks Hank - I stand corrected on my earlier comment.
While legal, though, riding on the sidewalk is still dangerous. Again, I’m not blaming the victim, I just hope that one of the lessons learned here is that cyclists are safest on the road, where they have a legal right to be.
misjustice on March 02 at 10:39 p.m.
Wow, let’s blame the dead guy and let the drunk guy go on his merry way…typical Spokanistan…disgusting, disappointing, and WRONG!
The guy driving the truck was drunk, enough said!
cowboy on March 02 at 10:47 p.m.
Suzanne the ombudsman is making $99,000 sitting on his butt.
SnowWa on March 02 at 11:17 p.m.
Accidents such as this are a tragedy for everyone involved. Not just the victims - (and both the driver and the person on the bike are victims of this terrible accident) – but for their wives, their children, other family members and their friends. I know several people who know Scott and they’re all heartbroken - they say that he is a nice guy.
Definitely - people should not drink and drive. But, if he did only have a couple drinks - lets admit - hundreds of thousands of people do this every day.
We have to all be more careful when we drive cars or bikes or when we enter a street walking. And, I agree with those of you who mentioned keeping our streets as safe as possible - with well painted lanes, crosswalks, signs, etc.
Accidents like this shouldn’t happen. I feel very sad for everyone involved.
Dazzeetrader11 on March 03 at 1:01 a.m.
The ombudsman job is a function of the POLICE Union. He has no teeth so he goes to meetings. Not his fault. Talk to your guild. They had to approve his job and his job description. Mayor Verner gave that one away to the police.
At 640pm it’s dark. If the rider was illegal in terms of his riding in an unauthorized lane or making an appearance in a crosswalk unexpectedly, I suppose even a sober driver would hit the victim. Being drunk ( if that proves to be the case) might not be a prime contributor.Sometime look up the definition of “drunk” while driving. It’s not the 0.08 number alone…that just helps.
The faulted driver left the scene. That’s a hard thing to do or understand. After work a beer or two, while enough for a 0.08 and certainly bad judgement, it isn’t evil. Leaving the scene is pretty awful. And as an aside, have any of you ever looked at the prevalence of “drunk” driving in this decade past and compared it to the 60’s or 70’s? It’s an eyeopener. So much for that. MADD’s done a good job.
bleckb on March 03 at 7:51 p.m.
Hanks post is a bit garbled by plugging in code, at least in my browser, but the long and short of it is this: RCW 46.61.755 (2): Every person riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk or crosswalk must be granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to a pedestrian by this chapter.
Couple that with the driver failing a field sobriety test, and smelling of alcohol (which prompted the field sobriety test), and running off before coming back, well, he may as well plead guilty and get on with things.
Dazzeetrader11 on March 04 at 10:33 a.m.
True Bradley…but when it’s dark, as it was then, it’s hard to see them. Bike travelers must be aware that even though the law might be on their side, they can be right and still dead if common sense isn’t valued. Sure…in Manito or on High Drive, etc a bike traveler can be well within his/her rights but still not be seen. When someone darts into a crosswalk…day or night, they might be right completely within the law…even though there is no law on any book that defines the amount of time a driver must be given to stop…and still a biker will end up as a mangled heap.
As far as drinking goes, it might be a completely separate charge and not the proximate cause of this accident. Sobriety is a subjective thing. As I said above, it’s not the number…with good reasons. If it was the number, 0.10 would likely have worked as well as 0.08….if you know the limit of resolution of the tests. If the machines can reproducibly measure a 0.02 difference when it’s not calibrated under in house laboratory conditions is likely…out on the street after days of sitting without calbration is another matter.
These are complex issues but in this town…on the surface of it…one might just think superficially “If the driver was drunk and if a biker was hit and died….”..it’s open and shut…guilty and go face 20 yrs of a manslaughter charge. Not so fast. Reckless bikers and reckless pedestrians can meet up with a 1 beer driver who’s completely sober but smells and end up just as dead. Let’s keep the complexities in mind before hanging the driver. Might be that the only assignable sin was leaving the scene…which ain’t good with or without a dead person in the mix. He’s admitted to that and there are witnesses.
deltaelk on March 04 at 2:24 p.m.
I certainly feel sorry for the cyclist, no matter who is at fault. But, its impossible to make an accurate comment here when all the facts people read are provided by police and newspaper reports. Which are rarely accurate. Unless anybody saw it happen, which I read there was a witness, again I READ it, you are only guessing on the facts. I have been cycling all my life, and I would say any close calls I have ever had were my fault. You have to be so careful when your cycling on a busy roadway, ESPECIALLY after dark, people dont see you. I commuted in upstate New York, I had reflective gear, dual-headlights, a flashing red rear light, and still motorists didnt notice me like other autos.
deltaelk on March 04 at 2:35 p.m.
I went back and read some more of the comments so I have to make another comment. You can paint all the lines you want, but it doesnt do a bit of good, especially at night. I bicycle every day when its warmer than 40 degrees, so I ride alot, not as much as some. I would never think of riding out in the front of automobiles with a bike and expect them to see me and then react and stop. I love cycling, but roads are designed for cars, so I ride my bike knowing that. I dont expect people to see me, so I ride accordingly. I do try and let them know I am there, but its a catch-22, ride so they can see you, but dont get run over, thats a tough thing to do sometimes. So painting lines which you cant see anyway, dont help a bit for the motorist, it only designates an area for pedestrians and cyclists. Again, I am so sorry for this cyclist, because I am one.
fortboise on March 04 at 4:38 p.m.
Ken Paulman wrote: “While legal, though, riding on the sidewalk is still dangerous.”
It’s certainly difficult to disagree with that statement in a discussion about someone who was KILLED riding… oh wait, it wasn’t ON THE SIDEWALK, but rather in a crosswalk.
I know what you meant however. Riding a bicycle anywhere near motor vehicles is still dangerous, especially when operators of said vehicles are intoxicated, and/or it’s dark.
But riding on the sidewalk is often MUCH SAFER than getting out into the road. It depends on the situation.
The quirky Spokane ordinance about what you can do where expose good intentions gone awry. If the decedent just happened to be over some boundary, how would that change the result? Let the driver off the hook for manslaughter? The PURPOSE should be to avoid conflict, whether it’s between pedestrians and cyclists, or cyclists and drivers.
deltaelk on March 04 at 6:17 p.m.
In most cities I have lived its absolutely (sp) illegal to ride a bike on the sidewalk. And for good reason, cyclists would be weaving in and out of pedestrians and pedestrians would be entering the sidewalk from businesses and walking directly across the sidewalk, not a good combination. Real cyclists know better than to ride on the sidewalk. This comment has nothing, NOTHING to do with this gentlemen’s death. People are saying it might be safer to ride on the sidewalk, its not. I think people forget that cyclists are not always going 5 miles an hour. If they are going 8-10 miles an hour on or across a sidewalk and then suddenly appearing on the crosswalk, thats a problem for both the motorist and the cyclist. Who in their right mind would cross in front of an oncoming vehicle, no matter what the LAW is. I am a cyclist and I am suppose to follow the rules of the road, same as a motorist, but in certain instances common sense takes over.
Ken Paulman on March 05 at 6:16 a.m.
Fortboise: Squires wouldn’t have been in the crosswalk if he hadn’t been riding down the sidewalk.
This unfortunate incident illustrates exactly why riding on the sidewalk is more dangerous than the roadway. Drivers aren’t looking for cyclists (or pedestrians, for that matter) coming off the sidewalk into the crosswalk. There are statistics to back this up, I’ll post them later if I can find them.
So when impatient motorists yell at bicyclists to “get on the sidewalk,” (how many cyclists have heard this before - raise your hands) they’re asking cyclists to greatly risk their own personal safety in order to spare motorists a few seconds of inconvenience. Here in St. Paul, just a few weeks ago, I was so ordered by a guy leaning out the open door of a moving (speeding) car, on a street where sidewalk riding is illegal: “Get on the sidewalk, bro!” he yelled. Thanks for the safety tip, bro.
Again, let me be abundantly clear that I’m not blaming Squires for what happened. Spokane, like most places in the U.S., still has a culture that regards bicycles as children’s toys to be confined to parks and recreational trails, rather than transportation that should be used on roadways as prescribed by law. Squires probably thought he was doing all those drivers a favor by staying off the street and out of their way. It cost him dearly.
Ken Paulman on March 05 at 7:19 a.m.
Here we go: “Bicycling against traffic increases accident risk by 360%, bicycling on the sidewalk increases accident risk by 180%, and bicycling the wrong way on the sidewalk increases accident risk by 430% (Wachtel and Lewiston 1994).” http://www.massbike.org/info/dilemma.htm
“Wrong way” in this case means “against traffic.”
Again the disclaimer - I’m not blaming Squires for what happened. He was (based on available information) not at fault. I think that this incident, though, can be a catalyst for discussions about how Spokane, with its enormously wide streets, can figure out a way to accommodate cyclists and drivers alike. This doesn’t need to happen again.
smarg on March 05 at 11:00 a.m.
RIP.
MattD on March 05 at 1:15 p.m.
I can’t believe how many people believe that riding a bike on the sidewalk is illegal in this situation. (And immoral in general)
As a long time commuter (about 9 years all seasons) and former competitive cyclist (about 10 years) I can speak from experience. Riding on a sidewalk is not dangerous. Riding dangerously is dangerous. Taking the right of way from others is rude and often dangerous. Statistics are meaningless to an individual on the street. Every situation is unique and requires broad awareness of your surroundings. End of day, after work, tired, dark, all of these beg to be ever more careful, for cyclist, driver, or pedestrian.
People need to ride. They need to get home after work. They need to deal with the given street plan and availability of safe routes. They need to understand their own comfort level with traffic and use sidewalks carefully if desired.
I used to ride my kids up the south hill to the library when they were about 6 or 7. We often used sidewalks and I taught them how to be responsible.
I felt awful when I learned about this accident. The tragedy resounds across the community but nowhere as much as Mr. Squires’ home. My thoughts are with the family.
Ken Paulman on March 05 at 5:44 p.m.
Not “immoral.” Unsafe. Kind of hard to argue with the evidence in this case.
I get that there are occasionally situations where the sidewalk might be the way to go. Especially if you’re riding with young kids.
But if an adult cyclist in the downtown core of a city feels that the sidewalk is his safest option, that points to a problem that’s much larger than one cyclist and one drunk in a pickup. A problem, I might add, that other cities are finding ways to solve.
It doesn’t dishonor David Squires one bit to be talking about ways that tragedies like this might be avoided in the future. In fact, part of his legacy could be that other lives were spared because the community decided to analyze the situation, talk about it, and learn from it.
deltaelk on March 05 at 6:10 p.m.
riding a bike on sidewalks in a residential area and riding on sidewalks in a busy downtown area are completely different situations, and thats why there are usually different laws for each area. Sometimes laws have actually had some research behind them, and in most big cities, 300,000 or more you would find its illegal to ride on a downtown sidewalk, and if a cyclist would ride his bike on the sidewalk in alot of big cities he would soon find himself knocked off his bike by angry pedestrians. Happens all the time in Portland Oregon, to the messenger riders who ride like nuts everywhere. I dont find it particularly safe to have people of any age, but especially elder people to have to share a sidewalk with a person riding a bike.
007bondgirl on March 11 at 10:11 a.m.
He was a father, husband, friend and my cousin. He was hit by a drunk driver, and now he is gone. You can attempt to point your finger at him but he paid the ultimate price for being in the crosswalk. And the driver drove away! Please do not give him any excuses, there are none. He didn’t just bump the bike tire, he ran over him. To try to justify any of the drunk drivers actions is pathetic.
deltaelk on March 28 at 10:24 p.m.
oh boy, nobody is pointing any fingers at anyone. Simply discussing the fact that this happened, how and why and how to avoid it in the future. Of course its too bad that he died, we all feel sad but that doesnt fix the problem. You can lock the driver up forever, does that fix the problem? sure doesnt make the deceased cyclist feel any better. Maybe he will be convicted, who knows, the fact is if you or me or anybody rides out in the front of an oncoming car, you have a damn good chance of getting hit. Now if you want to be stubborn or stupid and demand your rights in that instance, so be it, but you have a good chance of not riding away alive or healthy. Is it worth a few seconds of your time to slow down or STOP and wait for a car to pass by? geez, I sure would.