Bicyclist dies from injuries suffered in crash; fatality total reaches 11

Police in Mount Pleasant reported Thursday that Ray E. Fliess, 88, died of the injuries he suffered when a car hit him while he biked along Sunny Slope Rd. Dr. Saturday morning.

The crash occurred around 7:20 a.m., while Fliess was southbound in a dedicated bicycle lane, approaching Mariner Drive, police said. He was airlifted by a Flight for Life helicopter to Froedtert Memorial Hospital, where he died late Wednesday.

According to a story in the Racine Journal Times, Fliess was struck by a car driven by Kristen Welch, 24, of Racine. Welch had been stopped at a stop sign on westbound Mariner Drive before the crash. She was not injured.

The case has been referred to the Racine County District Attorney's office for review.

Fliess is the 11th cyclist killed in a crash with a motor vehicle in the state this year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. In 2010, the cyclist fatalities totaled nine. Cyclist deaths have averaged nine per year over the past five years, according to the DOT statistics.

Six of those killed this year were hit from behind, including Eugene Henry Dennis, an elite-level runner hit by a motorist in Fond du Lac County on Sept. 18. Authorities reported that alcohol appeared to be a factor in that crash.

To reduce the number of crashes and deaths, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin teamed with the DOT to launch the Share and Be Aware campaign. It's an educational program to impress upon motorists and cyclists the importance of following the rules of the road and watching for others.