Cyclist Suffers Head Trauma in Accident Involving Dog

By Amy Hunter
Reporter / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: June 23, 2008

BY AMY HUNTER
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
A Bike Virginia cyclist suffered serious head trauma on Monday after a bike accident involving a dog in Abingdon, Va.

The Fairfax, Va. man, who police did not identify by name, was knocked off his bike at the corner of White’s Mill and Chip Ridge roads around 4:15 p.m. when a loose dog ran into his path, said Washington County Deputy Erik Hinchey.

The man, a physician in his late 50s, tried to avoid hitting the dog and lost balance, Hinchey said. He was wearing his bike helmet.

He went over the handlebars and landed on his face, according to the deputy. He was taken via helicopter to Bristol Regional Medical Center, Hinchey said.

His injuries included two broken eye sockets, a broken nose and cranial bleeding, which is bleeding inside the head.

Marc Sartori, Bike Virginia event director, would not comment on the details of the incident, but confirmed that there had been an accident involving one of the 1,800 cyclists who came to Southwest Virginia on Friday for the week-long bike tour.

“Safety is our primary concern,” he said. “But we do have accidents. ... We’re gonna have injuries every year but luckily we’ve never had a fatality.”

The owner of the German shepherd mix involved was cited for failing to have the proper tags on the dog and for failing to keep the animal on a leash, Hinchey said. The name of the dog’s owner was not released.

Sartori said all Bike Virginia riders are asked to ride single-file when biking on roads even though state law allows bikers to ride two abreast. He also said all routes are chosen based on their safety.

In rural areas, however, dogs and other animals can pose some danger, he said.

The man was on the trip with his wife. She was not with him at the time of the accident, Hinchey said. In fact, only one person is believed to have witnessed the accident and Hinchey said police have not yet been able to locate him.

Brain damage is a concern at this point, Hinchey said. The man will be monitored closely by doctors for the next 24 hours, he added.

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