fthomas

Joanna Abernethy

Found nothing here and could not find anything written up in the States or about the suspect, 24 year old Clifford Henry.

Rest In Peace Joanna. Condolences to family and friends.

fthomas

[h=1]Australian bicyclist crossing America killed in accident in Indiana - Old Guy On a Bicycle[/h]

berner

Very sad that such a fine person did not get to complete a dream ride.

fthomas

I learned about it watching a movie on Netflix - Inspired to Ride A movie about the Trans Am Bicycle Race in 2014.

Very, very sad! What a tragedy!

Chris0516

May she rest in peace.

CB HI

School teacher who was cycling across America found dead by the side of the road after being hit by a 'drunk driver'
Hit and Run

Joanna Abernethy cycling across America found dead after being hit by 'drunk driver' | Daily Mail Online

The Wayne County Sheriff's Department, near the Indiana and Ohio border, has launched an investigation into Abernethy's death.
Her body was found on the eastbound side of the four lane US40 highway.
A 24-year-old driver of a vehicle, Clifford Henry, may face charges.
Wayne County Sheriff Jeff Cappa said the investigation could take 'several weeks' and then the evidence would be forwarded to prosecutors who will review and determine if criminal charges should be laid.

yashinon

Thoughts and prayers.

FBinNY 

Am I missing something?

Why are we treating 2 year old news as if it just happened?

DMC707

i just watched the documentary today myself and was dismayed at how little time was allotted to this lady --- so when i went to find more news, - i found not much except here

--- imagine you died by the side of the road at the hands of a drunk, --- would it not bring your soul a bit of peace knowing that you have been remembered and people are touched, whether it is 2 months, 2 years, or 2 decades?

I was touched and truly wished there was more screen time for this lady.

fthomas

When I searched BF after watching the documentary about the Trans Am Race I was surprised that there was no mention of the tragedy here. Nor have I been able to find any mention as to the outcome of the investigation and any charges filed against anyone for her death. It is old news. More glaring than the time that has elapsed since her death is the lack of any information on the outcome of the investigation and case. Just another cyclist killed by a drunk driver in a hit and run. Terrible!

FBinNY 

To answer your question first, the answer is yes ----- and No. I'd love to say if here, but when I go, for whatever reason, natural or otherwise, I'd like to be remembered by friends and family and maybe by people who's life I touched, not for how I died, but for how I lived. More pointedly, being "remembered" by people who never knew me in life, because of how I died isn't anything that would bring me (my soul) any measure of comfort. In my mind it would reduce me and everything I was to a statistic.

Actually I posted was because I'm not sure that A&S is the right place for this kind of thread, especially referencing a 2 year old story, unless there was some kind of update, which is why I asked.

CB HI

Although not specifically highlighted, I felt that her inexperience and riding at night fit into A&S.

I also posted my link hoping someone might have an update on the driver as far as charges/conviction. I could not find anything myself.

Chris0516

Why should it no longer be worthy of condolences?

kickstart

Everything to it's season, that time has passed. At this point it's tasteless to dredge it up for no legitimate reason.

Chris0516

That is almost analogous to, saying that it is tasteless to remember family or friends. Who have passed on. Years or decades before.

fthomas

Noteworthy is the fact that no mention of the tragic and possibly avoidable death of a member of the cycling community at the hands of a drunk driver could be found here at BF. It is additionally puzzling that none of us are able to find any news regarding the investigation into the alleged drunk driver and the tragic death of a cyclist.

I hope that all of us will remember Joanna Abernethy as a fellow cyclist, but also remember that she was a mother, teacher and friend to many who had undertaken a ride in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. We should all be outraged that her death was at the hands of a drunk driver and that there does not appear that justice was served. As @CB HI mentions, contributing factors may have been her lack of experience and riding late into the night. A time that we might expect drunk drivers are headed home and present a serious risk of death or injury to other drivers, pedestrians and cyclist.

What I find tasteless is that there does not appear to have been a thorough investigation into the alleged drunk driver and he was not held accountable for the death of Joanna Abernethy.
[h=2][/h]

kickstart

But that isn't the case here. Dredging up old news stories at random for no apparent reason other than an individual's fascination with them is totally insensitive, and unnecessary.

fthomas

You are being extremely presumptive regarding me having an improper "fascination" with this tragedy. I was made aware of it watching a documentary. Adding insult to the death of Mrs. Abernethy is the fact that there does not appear to have been a thorough investigation by law enforcement and thus a lack of accountability if in fact it was a drunk driver who took Mrs. Abernethy's life.

Joann Abernethy's ride warranted mentioning in more than a passing manner in the documentary "Inspired to Ride". I highly recommend watching the documentary.

Your line of thinking is insulting and baseless. Remembering Mrs. Abernethy is fitting and understanding what led to the tragedy should serve as a learning moment for us all. Unfortunately, it appears that justice was not served. Was the tragedy primarily the result of a drunk driver or did time of day, lack of proper lighting or some other factor or a combination of a number of factors result in this tragedy.

kickstart

Let her rest in peace.

CB HI

^^
Most here appreciate the thread. A few others prefer to just put their heads in the sand.

CB HI

Stop telling everyone what they cannot share.

James909

Just watched the documentary myself and noted that Mike Hall who won it was killed in a race in 2017 after being hit by a car. It demonstrates how dangerous cycling can be. Joanna seemed so happy to be there. Rest in peace to them both.