A man that had made his dislike for bicyclists known to the Lyons Planning and Community Development Commission, is now facing DUI homicide charges due to an accident that left a Boulder cyclist dead, as reported by The Daily Camera and the Lyons Recorder.
P.W. allegedly voiced his opinion during a meeting with the commission in March of 2010, in which he stated that "gangs" of people riding bicycles disobeyed street signs, traffic lights and impeded vehicle movement. P.W. went so far as to imply that the Boulder County Sheriffs failed to ticket the offending bicyclists when necessary. That was before P.W. killed cyclist M.V.D on May 11.
According to one newspaper's account, P.W.,69, said, "These people don't belong in Lyons. They certainly don't belong in the foothills around Lyons."
V.S., the Lyons Town Administrator, said that the comments were definitely made by P.W. and that "he lives directly across from Town Hall where we work, and he does attend meetings of our Board of Trustees occasionally."
Minutes from the meeting included P.W. stating "his concerns about the bicycle network in Lyons and asked Sgt. (K.P.) if there were going to be any new regulations due to the increased traffic in town."
Sgt. K.P. told P.W. that he was aware that "there has been conflicts between cyclist (sic) and motorists and that the Sheriff's Dept. is currently working with clubs in Boulder County to address issues on both sides. Sgt. (K.P.) stated that the reality is that they are a fact of life and the state law gives them some rights but the motorists have rights also."
The comments made by P.W. may be "new information", according to P.W.'s attorney Larry Mertes, however "it has nothing to do with the tragic accident that is still being investigated by law enforcement and by my office. There is absolutely no evidence of intentional conduct. There is not intent, on his part. This was a tragic accident."
P.W. was driving on Main Street in Lyons in his SUV when he drove into and killed M.V.D., who was riding his bicycle. P.W. was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide, careless driving resulting in death and DUI.
The sheriff's office reported that P.W. traveled in the wrong direction at the time of the collision – he was in the eastbound lane of Main Street driving westbound. It is also possible that P.W. was trying to manipulate a turn.
According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, P.W. had a previous arrest for driving under the influence in 1975.
He is currently in the Boulder County Jail on a bond of $25,000.
Mertes commented, "On behalf of my client and his family, they are very concerned about the victim's family and how they are doing and their loss. That is of primary importance to them."
If you have found yourself charged with a DUI, DWI, OUI or OWI, contact a DUI attorney right away! Whether this is your first time being criminally charged or not, only a qualified and experienced DUI attorney will know exactly how to help you.