A 42-year-old Signal Mountain man was taken to Erlanger Medical Center for treatment after the bicycle he was riding crashed near the intersection of Taft Highway and James Boulevard.
According to Traffic Investigator Robert Stockburger of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, a bicycle ridden by Darren Thompson of 371 May Apple Lane on Signal Mountain was the only vehicle involved in the wreck.
The bicycle never made contact with a truck driven by Kevin McNabb of 919 Bell Ave., he said, although Mr.
Thompson landed partially under the truck after wrecking.
Investigator Stockburger noted in his report that he reconstructed the way the incident occurred after being summoned to the scene by deputies who initially responded to a report of a bicycle crash.
“I...determined that the bicyclist, Darren Thompson, was traveling north on James Boulevard, crossed into the opposing lane, disregarded a stop sign at Taft Highway and was approaching another vehicle occupied by Kevin McNabb at the nearby intersection of Taft Highway and Bell Avenue,” the investigator wrote.
“Just prior to reaching the other vehicle,” he continued, “the bicycle overturned and the driver landed on the ground in front of and partially under the front of Mr. McNabb’s vehicle.”
The investigator said, “McNabb stated he had just stopped at the intersection on Bell Avenue when the bicyclist crashed. McNabb stated he never felt nor heard the bicycle strike his vehicle when the crash occurred.”
“From examining McNabb’s vehicle, I could find no indication the bicycle struck it,” he added, noting that Mr. Thompson was transported to Erlanger for his injuries.
Signal Mountain resident David McCain, who was among the drivers backed up on James Boulevard while the bicycle crash was investigated, said he saw the injured man lying directly in front of a gold Ford F-150 at the end of Bell Avenue.
“He was pretty banged up - we saw him loaded onto the ambulance as we sat in traffic,” Mr. McCain said.
The witness noted that the spot where the wreck occurred is a “weird intersection of three roads.”
He has never seen a wreck there before, he said, “but they really need to trim the hedges on Bell, as that looks like a blind corner.”