A bicyclist was struck by a vehicle and killed Sunday night on Tucson's east side, police said.
Melissa Marie King, 43, died, police said.Β
The Tucson Police Department gave the following account in a news release Monday evening:
The collision, with a 2003 Toyota Avalon, occurred shortly after 9 p.m. Jan. 21 at the intersection of South Wilmot Road and East 34th Street.
Traffic detectives determined that King was riding her bicycle southbound in the northbound lanes of Wilmot, between the middle and curb lanes. A vehicle traveling northbound in the curb lane saw her ahead and began braking.
"The Toyota, which was behind the first vehicle that was braking, also started to brake and maneuvered left into the middle lane to avoid colliding with the vehicle in front of them. As the Toyota moved to the middle lane, Ms. King also moved into the middle lane to avoid being struck by the first vehicle and subsequently collided with the Toyota," the news release said.
"Riding against traffic on the right side of the roadway by Ms. King is the major contributing factor," police said.
The 31-year-old man driving the Toyota immediately stopped and cooperated, police said. No charges or citations have been issued; the investigation continues.Β
