A cyclist has died after colliding with a car in central Nanaimo on the weekend.
The incident happened shortly after 8 p.m. Friday near 111 Wall St. when a 28-year-old man, riding a bicycle southbound on a steep downhill section of the street, collided with the right side of a northbound Mazda 3 car as it turned left into the driveway of a condominium complex.
The cyclist suffered massive head trauma in the collision and died in hospital over the weekend.
Police said it was raining and dark when the crash occurred. The cyclist was wearing dark clothes and had no lights on the bicycle, making it almost impossible for him to be seen, and was also not wearing a helmet. The cyclist had also been consuming alcohol.
The cyclist’s name has not been released.
Nanaimo RCMP Traffic Services, a collision analyst and the B.C. Coroners Service are continuing the investigation and it has not been determined if any charges will be pending against the 36-year-old Nanaimo man who was driving the car.
“It’s a coroners investigation and we’re working with the coroner right now,” O’Brien said.
Police are reminding all cyclists to use lights and reflectors and wear helmets and for all cyclists and pedestrians to wear bright clothing, especially when winter weather conditions limit visibility.
