Crime & Safety
Bicyclist, 19, Dies After Getting Hit By Driver Along SR 507
The 19-year-old man was hit while bicycling along the shoulder, and the driver is facing multiple charges.
YELM, WA - A 19-year-old man was and killed by a driver as he was riding a bicycle along SR 507 Sunday afternoon. The driver, a 56-year-old Graham man, is now facing charges of negligent driving, driving with a suspended license, and driving without insurance, according to Washington State Patrol.
The crash happened around 2 p.m. Sunday along SR 507 near Old McKenna Road. The bicyclist, Martin Valencia of Yelm, was riding southbound in the shoulder when the driver, Evan Hartkopf, drifted into the shoulder and hit Valencia, state police reported.
Update: Driver left his lane for unknown reason & stuck 19 y/o male bicyclist on right shoulder. Driver not impaired. -Trp Phillips
— Trooper Brooke Bova (@wspd1pio) August 14, 2017
The crash closed SR 507 for close to four hours on Sunday, according to state police.
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Image via Washington State Patrol
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