[imc-st.louis] Fwd: Reward announced for Hit & Run Driver

[Ben West]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Karen Karabell <karabellfamily at sbcglobal.net>
Date: Jan 30, 2008 2:44 PM
Subject: [stlbikefed] Reward announced
To: stlbikefed at yahoogroups.com

The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation has created a "Hit & Run
Justice Fund." As I write, Carrie Zukoski is sending a press release
to all local media outlets, which I will reprint at the bottom of this
email.

As Russ Willis states in the press release, this effort truly is
grass-roots. Right after people heard about this "accident," they
began making verbal commitments to support a reward fund if created.
Almost immediately after creating the means to donate via the Bike Fed
website--and hours before this announcement that such a fund has been
created--donations started coming in.

To contribute to the "Hit & Run Justice Fund," you may do so the
website, www.stlbikefed.org, or write a check to:

St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation
P.O. Box 23086
St. Louis, MO 63156

In the memo line of your check please write "H&R Justice Fund."

May our efforts bring justice to this cyclist, and make the roads
safer for all.
Karen

Karen Karabell

board chair
St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation
www.stlbikefed.org
314-707-5001
Bicycling: It's Real Transportation
 ________________________________



MEDIA ALERT



Hit and Run Justice Fund

St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation offers reward for info on hit and run



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Contact: Patty Vinyard:  314-707-5001



ST. LOUIS, MO—January 30, 2008. The St. Louis Regional Bicycle
Federation has just launched a fund to offer a reward of $1,000 for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person driving
the vehicle that struck and injured a bicyclist at the corner of Cole
and Broadway this past Monday evening and left the scene.
Contributions are being collected at the organization's website:
www.stlbikefed.org. Anyone with information about the incident should
contact the police at 314-444-2520.



"This effort is completely grassroots," said Russ Willis, chair of the
Bike Fed's committee on policy and advocacy.  "We had hundreds of
dollars in pledges even before we made the fund official. The 'Hit and
Run Justice Fund' will continue even after this case. Especially now,
with motorists being pushed off highway 40/64 and onto surface roads,
there is a heightened awareness among cyclists of the difficulties of
sharing the roads with motorists," Willis emphasized.



Willis said the Bike Fed intends to work with city Police Chief Joe
Mokwa and City Prosecutor Jennifer Joyce to implement the reward. "The
police and prosecutor will determine whether the information they
receive is enough to go on. Anyone with information should contact the
police directly, not the Bike Fed."



The incident occurred Monday evening, January 28, at about 5:40 p.m.
as the cyclist, who has not been publicly identified, was crossing
Broadway at Cole on a mountain bike. He was struck by a motorist
driving a dark SUV, who then left the scene. The cyclist was seriously
injured.



"Obviously we want to see this motorist prosecuted for leaving the
scene," Willis continued, "and possibly for vehicular assault."



The circumstances of the incident are not yet known. But Willis said,
"I don't care if the cyclist was going the wrong way with his eyes
closed. If you are driving a motor vehicle, you must pay attention,
you don't run down cyclists and pedestrians, and you don't leave the
scene."



About the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation is a membership organization
working to make the St. Louis region more friendly, safe, and
accessible to people on bicycles through educational outreach,
advocacy, and improved facilities.

###







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-- 
Ben West
westbywest at gmail.com
http://savetheinternet.org