New Kensington Bicyclist Hit & Killed By Tractor-Trailer
NEW KENSINGTON (KDKA) – Police are investigating after a bicyclist was hit and killed by a tractor-trailer in Westmoreland County Thursday.
According to emergency dispatchers, the accident happened along Route 780 in Upper Burrell Township, near the Penn State New Kensington campus.
"Basically, what we have is a bicycle and a tractor trailer heading westbound on 780. The bicycle was to the right of the roadway and the tractor trailer was approaching from behind," said Upper Burrell Police Chief Ken Pate.
Witnesses say all was well until the cyclist lost traction on the berm and fell.
"So at that point, the bicyclist, we don't know for sure, but it looks like he may have gotten a little loose in the gravel and fallen onto the road way," said Chief Pate.
Investigators say the driver of the rig made an attempt to miss the fallen cyclist, but oncoming traffic constrained his efforts.
"Couldn't let the tractor trailer get over as far across the yellow line," Chief Pate said.
The Westmoreland County Coroner's Office identify the victim as 56-year-old Mark Popovich of Lower Burrell. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:45 p.m. He was wearing a helmet.
Friends tell investigators Popovich was an avid cyclist and was very safety conscious when he was on the road. But circumstances appear to have conspired against both he and the man driving the rig.
"There's not much of a berm, and the berm is loose gravel, and with traffic approaching from the eastbound lane, that makes things tight," Chief Pate said. "Couple seconds either way, we wouldn't be standing here right now, so it's bad place bad timing."
The tractor-trailer driver also remained at the scene.
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