Alaska News

Bicyclist critically hurt in collision with SUV in Midtown Anchorage

A bicyclist was struck and critically injured by a car as he attempted to pedal through moving traffic at the intersection of Benson Boulevard and A Street on Thursday afternoon.

The cyclist was seen by a passing driver weaving through traffic a block to the north, at Northern Lights Boulevard and A Street.

He was then struck by a blue SUV that was heading east on Benson Boulevard, leaving him sprawled motionless in the middle of the road, awaiting the arrival of first responders.

The SUV was parked a block away, with a softball-size hole in the lower left corner of its smashed windshield and a dented front bumper, as people tried to console the distraught female driver.

"Whoever that poor person was couldn't have seen him coming," said Teresa Curran, who saw the man "fly through the air" as she was driving.

Three witnesses said they saw the cyclist steering erratically before the crash.

"He looked like he was either drunk or crazy," said Kris Simpson, who said she saw the cyclist weaving through traffic on Northern Lights Boulevard.

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Police had to stop traffic temporarily on Benson Boulevard until the man could be picked up.

Anchorage police have not identified the cyclist, but said he was taken to the hospital with critical injuries after a 911 caller reported an injury accident at 1:46 p.m., said Jennifer Castro, police spokesperson.

After he was loaded into an ambulance, scraps of a shirt and a fleece blanket were left on the road, as well as a 6-inch circle of blood.

Police officers at the scene referred questions to Anchorage Police Department's public affairs staff.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Nathaniel Herz

Anchorage-based independent journalist Nathaniel Herz has been a reporter in Alaska for nearly a decade, with stints at the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media. Read his newsletter, Northern Journal, at natherz.substack.com

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