RE-POSTED from Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas (BACA) list.

As most may have heard by now, BACA lost a dear friend and an active member yesterday morning when Marilyn Fulper, aged 56, was killed by a motorist running a red light at the intersection of Cantrell Road/Highway 10 and River Mountain Road. She was a nurse at UAMS, an active BACA member, and also an active team player with the Mello Velo cycling group supporting last week's Tour de Rock ride. She leaves two children, a grieving family, and a host of mourning friends behind.

Marilyn was riding alone, going north on Rodney Parham, across the intersection at Cantrell and onto River Mountain Road, apparently going for a ride on the River Trail. At ~ 9:03 a.m. she was crossing the Cantrell intersection when she was struck and gravely injured by a 2000 Jeep Wrangler driven by Patsy Booth, aged 64, also of Little Rock. Ms. Booth had her two grandchildren in the Jeep with her, and driving west in the right-hand lane on Cantrell, passed a line of traffic in the left lane stopped at the light, blew the red light, and struck Marilyn. LRPD investigators report that Booth left 55 feet of skid marks, approximately 1 second of braking at 40 mph, the posted speed limit on that stretch of road. Booth will be cited for running the red light; other charges may be pressed by the LR City Attorney.

Marilyn was transported by MEMS to the Baptist ER, where she died of her injuries shortly after 1 p.m.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete, but flowers may be sent on her behalf to North Little Rock Funeral Home, on Main Street in North Little Rock. I'll get an arrangement sent on BACA's behalf.

Dan Lysk, at Arkansas Cycling & Fitness in Sherwood, is building a "ghost bike" to be placed at the accident site. Pending finalization of the funeral plans, we plan to meet at the top of River Mountain Road at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23rd in Marilyn's memory, and to place her ghost bike. Time and date, of course, are subject to not interfering with the family's and funeral plans; we'll put the word out if there's any change in schedule, as well as time and location for the funeral.

It really, really hurts to lose a friend for family member like this. I remember Marilyn as a conscientious, safety-minded cyclist. She had taken not only the League traffic safety class, but also the commuting and group riding classes. But as I found out the hard way myself earlier this year, sometimes, despite every precaution you take, bad things can happen because of the carelessness of other drivers. You must always be vigilant to the traffic around you to try and minimize these sorts of surprises.

In sorrow,

Tom Ezell
President, Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas