Bicyclist dressed as Uncle Sam recovering after accident with van

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Posted: 9:17 PM Oct 15, 2008
Last Updated: 6:58 PM Nov 10, 2008
Reporter: Meredith Anderson
Email Address: meredith.anderson@wrdw.com

12 comments

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October 15, 2008; News 12 at 11

AUGUSTA - A bicyclist, dressed as Uncle Sam, is recovering after a van hits him on the corner of Broad Street and 15th Street in downtown Augusta.

Witnesses say he hurt his leg, but they believe he will recover. A fellow rider says Uncle Sam, who is a student at the Medical College of Georgia, just needs a few stitches.

It happened around 8:30 Wednesday night as he was riding with a group of about 25 other people also riding bikes in costume.

According to a man dressed as a devil, the group was part of a Critical Mass. When News 12 asked him what a Critical Mass was, he directed us to Wikipedia. This is what we found:

"Critical Mass is a bicycling event typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 around the world. While the ride was originally founded with the idea of drawing attention to how unfriendly the city was to bicyclists, the leaderless structure of Critical Mass makes it impossible to assign it any one specific goal. In fact, the purpose of Critical Mass is not formalized beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time and traveling as a group through city or town streets."

This isn't Friday, and the biker did not specify if this ride was in protest of anything.

Deputies are now looking to see if the van was at fault or if the rider was too far out in the street. So far, no one is facing any charges.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Kaleb Location: Augusta on Oct 25, 2008 at 01:14 PM
"Wickipedia [sic]" is actually spelled "Wikipedia."

Posted by: kick Location: Fort Lewis Wa on Oct 20, 2008 at 02:59 PM
What an ***, if it had been two cars, the driver would have been arrested. With all those witnesses, Sue the *******..........

Posted by: john Location: bowman on Oct 19, 2008 at 09:18 PM
this report not only shows the flippant way in which news is reported in augusta,also it shows the ignorance of local reporters of things going on in america.who has not heard of critical mass?has no one ever covered national political conventions or many other efforts made by critcal mass to bring awareness to other issues or how in nyc,where they are more focused,they are constantly harrased by the police for illegal congregation.........but discounting the dismal state of local news the real story is about an attempted manslaughter with leaving the scene of a crime and the police are trying to ascertain whether the bike rider was to far out in the road,when did that law take effect....seems to me a gas guzzling terroist was upset with our fine upstanding uncle sam and was trying to murder him and the freedoms he stands for...get well matt,maybe justice will be served

Posted by: Leesa Gray Location: augusta on Oct 17, 2008 at 09:01 PM
I agree this is a very poor report of actual conditions and incidents of the evening. Almost as though more for entertainment tonight rather than news on "your side". Next time this happens, and it will considering the mentality of the law enforcement and licensed drivers here, I will make sure to do my own documentation. Simply because I don't like to be harassed by anyone, especially those in uniform that are supposed to protect and serve. "Uncle sam" was struck because he didn't do what the driver said and "get the F@!*% out of the way!" Rights you say??? did someone say something about rights? oh...fights? oh. well, then that's ok. no rights, all fights. What is happening to people?

Posted by: kitsune Location: Augusta on Oct 17, 2008 at 05:01 PM
this article barely skims over the story. had some of the riders not been in costume, would this story exist at all? and where is the deeper probing to investigate WHY someone would be so aggressive as to hit a smiling guy on a bike, out with friends on a wednesday evening? perhaps his cop buddy has the answers... this story isn't nearly as innocent as it has been presented. wake up augusta! bikes are everywhere, and their riders have rights!

Posted by: Uncle Sam continued Location: The Truth on Oct 17, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Captain Myers would not allow anyone to be present during the interview even though my girlfriend was there. I asked for a different officer that would conduct a fair interview and later asked for a lawyer. He only continued to bully me. At one point I commented that the driver Dunaway must have some friends on the force because his charge was only ILLEGAL LANE CHANGE, never mind hitting a human with his van. Myers confirmed to me that they were friends. Witnesses at the scene informed me later that Myers and Dunaway were seen shaking hands and patting each other's back. This statement is consistent with the news reports and eye witness accounts. This is not an indictment on officers and drivers that protect and serve but on mavericks who neglect and swerve.

Posted by: Uncle Sam Location: Stitches on Oct 17, 2008 at 04:02 PM
When a 2000 lb vehicle strikes you it is no joke first of all. This is typical American road rage. Unchecked aggression. I was maintaining the center lane with friends on cycles to my left and right lanes between 13th and 15th on Broad. Approaching from behind drom the traffic light was a group of autos lead by Wendell Sullivan Dunaway. He began to swerve between lanes to slide BETWEEN bikes as we were legally maintaining lanes. He "gunned" it and clipped me with his right mirror and we collided. There is a sizable dent in his fender. Mr. Dunaway then turned off his lights and sped away toward Riverwatch parkway. One of the riders saw him speed away but was able to get the tag number and call 911. In my best estimate, he returned with Captain Myers 20 minutes later to the BP where the ambulance, firetruck, police cruisers and new team had already arrived. I was taken to MCG ER. At the ER Captain Myers bullied me throughout the interrogation and threatened to arrest me several times.

Posted by: Edgar Location: Augusta on Oct 17, 2008 at 03:52 PM
This is a sad excuse for journalism. A person was injured, and because the producers of this news program are amused by the fact that the injured man was wearing a costume they have chosen not to report so many of the facts in this case, including the names of anyone involved. The only person interviewed by your reporter was unidentifiable, and clearly not the only witness on the scene. Shame on you! When a driver intentionally runs down a bicyclist with his automobile and leaves the scene of the "accident" without facing any charges there is serious evidence of incompetence or corruption in the ranks of local law enforcement. It is clearly against the law to leave the scene of an accident, and equally illegal to use a deadly weapon, in this case a van, to commit assault. Someone could have been killed, and both the law enforcement officers on the scene and your news station have treated this like a joke. There is a real problem here that deserves further investigation.

Posted by: Leesa Location: Augusta on Oct 17, 2008 at 02:33 PM
The point is this: vehicles absolutely, under no circumstances, have the right to push pedestrians or cyclists out of the way, to threaten them, or to assault them. This is not a joke. Would it be more of an issue if "uncle sam" didn't come out of the accident with minor injuries? Earlier that day, around 11am, another cyclist Jason Wynn was sent to the ER with 4 cracked ribs and a hole in his lung. Had he not been wearing his helmet it would have been much worse. Yes, critical mass has a statement for me: anyone on the road can be responsible and respectful, and it's time to do so.

Posted by: Rick Location: Martinez on Oct 16, 2008 at 04:44 PM
Bicyclist too far out in the street!!! You've got to be kidding. Richmond County deputies need to learn the rules of the road.

Posted by: Azamat Location: Bagatov on Oct 16, 2008 at 02:27 PM
It was a HIT AND RUN! It might've been an accident but the guy took off and came back like 20 minutes later. He was also driving extremely aggressively and could've killed people. I had to jump my bike into the median to avoid being run over by this rampaging maniac. Bicycles have teh same rights to the road as do cars. This was criminal.

Posted by: JoeDPlumber on Oct 15, 2008 at 10:03 PM
This was obviously protesting government spending and satanism.