Bicyclist killed in Thomas Co. wreck identified

THOMAS CO., GA (WALB) - On Tuesday night a bicyclist was killed after he was hit by an SUV.

It’s still undetermined how and why the car and bicyclist made contact because state officials said they’re still examining evidence from the scene.

Around 7 Tuesday night, both the driver and 42-year-old David Newman were traveling north on 319 near Crowley Road in Thomasville.

James Miller, the assistant post commander for Georgia State Patrol, said Newman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Miller also said he is unsure if Newman was easily visible to drivers at the time of the accident.

“The front right side of the vehicle struck the pedestrian and the bike. It’s still under investigation if the bike was in the road or on the side of the road, or if the vehicle swerved onto the shoulder. That’s still under investigation by our SCRT (Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team) team," explained Miller.

Due to the 55 mph speed limit and nonexistent bike lanes, Captain Steve Jones with the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office warns it’s a dangerous area for this activity.

Jones said for your safety and others, if you choose to bike in these high traffic areas, make sure you’re also wearing bright clothes and have the appropriate reflectors and lights on your bike.

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