Bicyclist dead after being hit by car on Toll Road near South Bend exit
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - A person riding their bike on the Indiana State Toll Road is dead after being hit by a car near the South Bend exit early Saturday morning.
Crews were called around 4:05 a.m. to the area of mile marker 71.8 in the westbound lanes, which is just west of Exit 72 for the U.S. 20 Bypass.
Officials believe the driver of a black 2021 Kia was traveling westbound in the left lane when a man on a bicycle rode from the right shoulder and crossed into the path of the Kia. That led to the Kia hitting the man and causing deadly injuries.
The driver of the Kia cooperated with police and was taken to the hospital for a chemical test that is required by state law in fatal crashes.
The St. Joseph County Coroner is working to identify the bicyclist as the investigation is still ongoing.
Both westbound lanes were temporarily closed as police investigated the crash, with traffic being diverted off the toll road at Exit 72. Those lanes reopened around 5:50 a.m.
In the wake of this crash, police want to remind you that bicycles are prohibited on the Indiana Toll Road. They also want to remind you that Indiana law requires bicycles to be equipped with a lamp on the front that exhibits a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet and a red light or red reflector visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear if the bicycle is operated on a highway from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise.
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