Bellevue Bicyclist Dies After Being Struck by SUV in Kirkland Crash

Update: 2:30 p.m.

A 36-year-old man apparently from Bellevue was killed instantly in the darkness of early Thursday morning when a large SUV hit him and the bicycle he was riding in the Totem Lake area of Kirkland.

The driver of the SUV, a Ford Excursion, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, said Kirkland Police Lt. Mike Murray. He has been identified as a 27-year-old Redmond man and was booked into the King County Jail Thursday afternoon on suspicion of vehicular homicide.

Police had not released the victim’s name by early Thursday afternoon, but his father and sister showed up at the scene a few hours after the crash, Murray said. The victim's driver's license listed a Bellevue address.

The bicyclist had been traveling westbound on busy Northeast 124th Street and was turning south onto Slater Avenue Northeast, apparently heading home from work. Murray said the SUV was headed eastbound on 124th when it hit the bicyclist.

“He was probably killed instantly,” Murray said. “There was nothing aid (crews) could do, unfortunately.”

The driver had not been officially charged as of late Thursday afternoon. Patch generally does not name suspects of crimes until they have been formally charged.

“We know the suspect,” Murray said. “He’s familiar to us from past contacts."

The driver was taken to Evergreen Hospital, where a blood sample was taken for a blood alcohol test, and then to the Kirkland Police station at City Hall.

Murray said the victim was an experienced rider who wore reflective clothing and had a light on his bike. “I think he even had a light on his helmet,” Murray said.

Northeast 124th Street is a very busy arterial that provides access from the east and west to Interstate 405 at Totem Lake. The intersection where the collision occurred is east of 405 at a major intersection with Slater Avenue on the south and 132nd Avenue Northeast on the north, just west of the Kirkland/Redmond border.

Northeast 124th was jammed with traffic all morning after the incident because police closed the intersection for several hours during their investigation.

Update: 8:36 a.m.

A 35-year-old man that King5 reports is from Bellevue was killed early Thursday morning after being hit by a vehicle in the Totem Lake area of Kirkland while riding a bicycle, according to the Kirkland Police Department.

The original version of this story stated the incorrect neighborhood.

Police have closed roads in the area of the accident at NE 124th and 132nd Avenue NE during the investigation, and that was causing severe traffic back-ups Thursday morning on busy 124th, a major arterial that provides access to Interstate 405 in the Totem Lake area.

Police are asking drivers to find alternative routes, since the investigation might take several hours.

Original story:

A 35-year-old man was killed early Thursday morning after being hit by a vehicle in the Kingsgate area of Kirkland while riding a bicycle, according to the Kirkland Police Department.

In a short press release the Kirkland Police said the victim, whose name has not been released pending notification of his family, was hit in the 13200 block of 124th Street and died at the scene.

The accident occurred at about 2:50 a.m.

Other news sources, including King5, reported that the driver of the vehicle was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

King5 reported that the victim was from Bellevue, was wearing reflective clothing and had flashing lights on his bike. For the KING5 story, click here.

Police have closed the roads in the area of the accident and are asking drivers to find alternative routes, since the investigation might take several hours.

Bellevue Patch will update this story as soon as more information is available.