An unlicensed driver struck teen cyclist on Jetton
Aug. 6. By Dave Vieser. It was an unlicensed driver who struck a teenage girl last week in the crosswalk on Jetton at the park. Nelder Andres Lainezcruz of Charlotte received a citation from the Cornelius Police Dept. for not having a license.
She told police that she looked in her rear view mirror and saw the cyclist was on her feet so she did not stop.
Driver unaware
The incident report said she didn’t know the amber flashers meant she should stop.
Lainezcruz was not issued a citation for striking the cyclist.
“The driver wasn’t cited for a crosswalk violation because the cyclist was riding the bike through the crosswalk,“ said Cornelius Police Chief Kevin Black.
“To be considered a pedestrian you must walk the bike through the crosswalk,” he said.
The teenage cyclist, whose name was withheld by police, was not seriously injured.
Cause for concern
The details of the incident were discussed at this week’s meeting of the town Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) which was asked by Mayor Woody Washam and the Town Board to review not only the Jetton Road crossing but any others town-wide where there may be a need for additional safety elements.
The initial recommendations from the TAB included better signage, an education campaign and enhanced speed enforcement. Additional suggestions will be forthcoming from the TAB and submitted to the Town Manager.
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A citation? How about hit and run, how about driving without a license? How about her ability to understand traffic signals/devices? Perhaps she couldn’t pass a drivers test, therefore no license .
Does this mean Hit-and-Run is okay in Cornelius?
Perhaps the TAB and the Cornelius PD could start by producing a comprehensive list of conditions that must be met in order for a person driving an automobile WOULD be charged when they endanger or strike a person driving a bicycle. In ALL 50 STATES, BICYCLES ARE VEHICLES. People who travel by bicycle are vulnerable road users, and law enforcement should interpret NC vehicle law to protect them. Yet here, law enforcement is sending a message to drivers of trucks and cars that they can endanger people anywhere on the roadway they like, as long as that person is riding a bicycle, EVEN IN A CROSSWALK WITH ACTIVELY FLASHING LIGHTS! We need more details regarding this incident. Was the unlicensed driver’s vehicle confiscated, or were they allowed to continue driving? Was the bicycle damaged in any way? Were any witnesses questioned? The police response is a pathetic example the totalitarian nature of motor vehicle use in Cornelius, and this story deserves a much wider airing than it is currently receiving.
why isn’t there a flashing red light there??
This is absolutely unbelievable! How does someone illegally driving a motor vehicle hit someone on a bicycle and only cited for not having a license. The message that the Cornelius PD is sending to other motorists is that it is ok to hit someone on a bicycle and leave the scene!!! If I was the parents of the child that was hit I would be outraged and would be calling for the Cornelius PD captain’s job.