Cyclist on fixed-gear bike plows headfirst into minivan

A cyclist was seriously injured Tuesday morning after plowing head-first into a minivan near the Gonzaga University campus.

The crash happened just after 9 a.m. at the intersection of North Cincinnati Street and East Cataldo Avenue, Spokane Fire Department Assistant Chief Brian Schaeffer said.

The cyclist was riding a fixed-gear bike that did not have brakes, Schaeffer said. He hit a minivan as it was parking on the street, leaving a large dent in the passenger door and shattering the glass.

A toddler riding in a car seat on the passenger side of the minivan had minor injuries, Schaeffer said. The driver was uninjured.

Fire department medics treated the cyclist at the scene before transporting him to the hospital. He was not wearing a helmet, Schaeffer said.

Schaeffer said the cyclist was not a Gonzaga student.