TWO BICYCLISTS STRUCK AND KILLED IN WALLER CO.
Two bicyclists were stuck and killed by a vehicle Saturday in Waller County. A third cycler was injured in the incident as they were riding with a group near the intersection of Buller Road and Muske Lane just before noon Saturday.
Authorities have identified Victor Kevin Tome, 25, as the driver in the case. He reportedly fled the scene and broke into a home about a mile away. Tome was found by the home owner Saturday afternoon. According to the Waller County Sheriff's Office, Tome surrendered peacefully around 4 p.m.
District Attorney Elton Mathis said he could face at least two felony charges for hitting and killing two cyclists then running away.
The three cyclists were participating in the 4th Annual Spring Fest at Willow River Farms. This event is a scenic bicycle tour winding through the countryside of Waller County.
These are interesting posts and representative of both sides. Most bicyclists want to show their appreciation for those that live in the rural communities. When in a group, we try to watch to the rear and alert the rest when a car approaches. Ideally, the group hastens into single file to let vehicles pass. Unfortunately it does not always work this way, particularly if the group is large, overly intent on their task, or poorly reared.
Often a single rider or small group won’t hear a vehicle approaching. The wind in the helmet drowns out most noise. If the rider seems oblivious or rude, it may be that he/she has not heard you. A light tap on the horn is a courteous way to ask the rider to yield the road. Hopefully you will get a wave and a quick response.
Many of us ride to celebrate the beauty of our shared world. We have no wish to die doing it.
Texas is not up to speed on respecting bicyclists and walkers. Texans rarely stop are slow down. They drive with Jeff’s attitude. I’ve visited Colorado many times over the years, and say what you want about their politics but they show respect to human life towards bike riders and walkers.
Do they ride their bikes in the middle of the road in Colorado? It should be common sense to these people…If something many times my size and weight is going faster than me should I A)Get out of the way B) Make sure I stay in its path. Simple physics ladies and gentlemen…simple physics.
In Colorado if a driver sees someone wanting to cross the road they stop and let you cross. Not in Texas, not even in downtown Brenham. Of coarse no one just walks out there in front of traffic, it’s just a more curtious state than Texas. Same with bike riders, in Colorado drivers will slow down just like your supposed to do when approaching Law inforcement or TEXDOT on the side of the highway. Not in Texas, drivers continue driving fast and right by the bike rider.
I live on a rural road in F.B.G. and the cyclist’s here also often slow us down. But they are precious fellow human beings. Yes, I get annoyed because I have places to go and things to do too. But I beg for more patience and tolerance so as not to hit and possibly kill one of them. Even though they might very well be in the wrong they don’t deserve to die. We’re in a car and they are on a bicycle– not comparison! The person who hit them fled the scene, didn’t render aid and broke into a stranger’s home. Wow!! A lot of families lives have been horribly devastated.
It’s a free country and adult cyclists know the risk associated with riding back roads either for an event or for their own pleasure.
It appears most who have posted here know to expect cyclists on country FM roads over most warm weekends.
Seems everyone is aware and needs to look out for one another.
Now let’s stop wasting time and get all up in arms about those pesky blue bonnet picture taking folks.
In Waller CO. Police are actively ticketing the bicyclists for allegedly running stop signs. While this is a form of discouragement, it really doesn’t address the issue, which is that bicyclists are impeding traffic and causing reckless endangerment when they ride in the middle of the road, whether there is a shoulder or not. You might think grown people, (the bicyclists) would understand this, but everyone wants to pin responsibility on the other.
It’s the same in Fayette county, fm 1291 is horrible, I know they are riding for a good cause, but they need to watch out for the car traffic. Something bad is going to happen there too…
This is going to happen in Washington County and it is only a matter of time. Bicyclers get out on our back roads and you come up on them at 50-60 miles an hour (listed speed) and they do not move over! Try to drive FM 1155 on a Sat.or FM 390 around Burton – it is only a matter of time!
It is very sad that those two people lost their lives. However, I agree with the previous post. It truly is just a matter of time before more are killed in Washington County. We live on FM 390 and I am constantly telling my son to watch out and drive carefully around the bicyclists even though they are stretched all across the road, blocking traffic. Our country back roads are not built for bicycles!
Very sad, but all the above post are right. The Bicyclers are out Old Mill Creek Road again and they do not yield to vehicles at all. They ride 3 and 4 abreast across the road and they are no match for the vehicles traveling down the road. Our county roads do not have shoulders and the bicyclist need to remember they have to share the road not hog the road.