Phoenix police are investigating a fatal collision that claimed the life of a woman riding a bicycle on a sidewalk in west Phoenix, adding to the growing number of serious traffic incidents involving cyclists across the Valley.
Officers responded around 4 p.m. Thursday to the area of 35th Avenue and Bethany Home Road, where they found the bicyclist had been struck by a pickup truck. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet released her identity pending notification of her family.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, investigators determined the woman was riding westbound on the sidewalk along Bethany Home Road when a pickup truck exiting a nearby business collided with her. Witnesses told officers the driver remained at the scene following the crash and cooperated with the investigation.
Police evaluated the driver for impairment but said officers observed no signs that alcohol or drugs were a factor. Detectives with the department’s Vehicular Crimes Unit continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, including whether any traffic violations contributed to the crash.
The incident serves as another reminder of the potential conflict points where vehicles cross sidewalks while entering or leaving businesses, areas that can pose significant risks for pedestrians and cyclists despite being outside the main flow of roadway traffic.
