By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Citations, not charges, for fatal truckbike crash
Placeholder Image

The driver in a pickup truck–bicycle crash that killed a 22-year-old man on Business 151 Sept. 13 won’t be charged, but he is facing four traffic citations.

A pickup truck driven by Tyler P. Sullivan of Platteville was driving west on Business 151 when his pickup truck struck a bicycle ridden by James Spencer Thomas, 22, Platteville, at East Business 151 and Phillips Road Sept. 13 around 10:50 p.m.

Thomas was taken to Southwest Health in Platteville, where he was pronounced dead.

The Grant County District Attorney’s office decided against filing charges after conferring with Platteville police and a Wisconsin State Patrol accident reconstruction officer.

A Platteville police news release said several factors contributed to the crash, including “lack of adequate lighting and reflective material” on Thomas and his bicycle, the pickup truck’s speed and deviating from its lane of traffic, the bicycle’s deviating from its lane of traffic, a headlight that was out on the truck’s driver’s side, and “inattention” on the part of both Sullivan and Thomas.

Tests on both Sullivan and Thomas showed that alcohol was not a factor in the crash, police said.

Sullivan is being issued tickets for speeding, inattentive driving, deviation from a designated lane, and operating with a defective headlamp.