Thursday, July 2, 2015

USPS female truck driver cited after Thursday cyclist crash in Fort Collins, CO



FORT COLLINS, CO

A man riding a bicycle was hospitalized Thursday morning after a crash with a U.S. Postal Service truck that failed to yield, police said.

The rider of a yellow bicycle was traveling north about 11 a.m. along Automation Way near Horsetooth Road. 

The bicyclist, riding on the sidewalk against traffic, collided with a mail truck that was turning out of a parking lot, police at the scene said.

Neither the man's name nor age were immediately available. Poudre Valley Hospital EMS treated and transported the man, who appeared to have an arm injury, to Medical Center of the Rockies. 

He was awake and talking at the scene, police said, and he was expected to be released from the hospital later on Thursday.

Traffic, already slow in the area due to road construction, crawled around the crash site while police took measurements and cleaned up broken glass.

Police cited the 45-year-old female driver for failing to yield the right of way. 

Bikes are legally allowed to ride either way on sidewalks, though police highly discourage traveling against traffic. 

Motorists are legally responsible to yield the right of way when leaving private property — that's why the mail truck's driver was cited.