Kerri Cronk, one of Fox 13 News’ morning anchors, was involved in an accident last Friday on 2600 E near Hogle Zoo and Wastach Drive. According to the Salt Lake Tribune,
“Cronk, who appeared in an interview on Fox 13 Wednesday night, said she remembered little of the accident — except a white car pulling out of a parking lot in front of her as she was riding her bicycle. In a neck brace and a sling for her right arm, she is now recovering at home.”
The accident took place around 6 pm (well before dusk in Salt Lake City) when a white car pulled out of the Hogle Zoo parking lot allowing Cronk insufficient time to react. In an attempt to avoid the car that appeared in the road suddenly, Cronk braked and swerved, but was not able to avoid the car before running into the rear of it. The driver fled the scene and Cronk was left bleeding and unconscious in the road.
Bill Hubbard, a passer-by, who found the bloodied Cronk, called 911. After the ambulance arrived, Cronk was taken to a near-by hospital for neck and head injuries. .
Salt Lake City Police detective Dennis McGowan said the incident occurred during rush hour and he is hopeful someone must have seen the accident and could help police locate the driver.
Anyone with information is asked to call SLCPD at (801) 799-3000.
Reactions from the community were varied. Many comments on the article’s online version on the Tribune’s website contained back-biting aimed at cyclists as a whole and at individual commenters who were not representing the cycling community as well as they could have.
In recent months, there has been a growing discord between cyclists and motorists. “Lawless bikers” and “ignorant drivers” are the usual titles and labels thrown around on forums, comment sections, and blogs.
In Fox 13’s report, Cronk is cited as saying, “What hurts most is knowing that a driver left the scene not knowing if she was dead or alive.” Cronk made a statement in hopes of raising awareness of both motorists and bicyclists. She said, “I am positive that that driver left me there…lying in the road, and drove away. I can’t believe it. I am a mother, I have two kids, and I’m just happy I’m here, but I don’t know how someone lives with that [referring to hitting someone and driving away]. That would be a hard burden. I hope that their conscience is killing them.”
Cronk, along with Salt Lake City Police, hopes that the driver will come forward so that the situation may be resolved and so that Cronk may have maybe just a bit more piece of mind. When she came back to the scene of the accident, days later, she began to remember a few more things that she had when she initially regained consciousness, but she could not provide any more details about the car, other than that it was white.
Reactions and expressions of sympathy on SaltCycle’s facebook group were both encouraging and informative.
I understand the argument that there are generally two people to blame. I also get that there are a lot of ridiculous kids on bikes out there, paying little to no attention to the laws of the rode. HOWEVER, as someone who has almost been hit perhaps dozens of times, I can tell you that motorists just DONT pay attention.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that bugs me the most, though, is motorists will never get it! All of us riding regularly know what it feels like to be completed ignored on the road. Motorists dont (and can't) understand that feeling. When was the last time a guy in a Ford f350 felt like no one saw him on the road? NEVER! Even if it was her fault (and again, i really doubt it) the person LEFT HER ON THE ROAD!!! Who does that?! Sorry Kerri ... I hope your BROKEN BACK doesn't ruin your life.
I am so thankful that she is going to be ok.
ReplyDelete