Bicyclist, Motorcyclist Killed in Crash on Palmer Street in Houston, TX
Houston, TX — January 8, 2023, two people died when an allegedly-speeding motorcycle struck a bicyclist on Palmer Street in Downtown Houston.
Authorities say the incident happened around 10:00 p.m. on Palmer near McKinney Street. Preliminary investigation suggests a man and his wife were riding bicycles in the road's dedicated bike lane when a motorcycle, allegedly speeding through an intersection, hit him in the roadway. Investigators say the cyclists were in a crosswalk and had the right-of-way when the collision occurred.
Both the cyclist and the motorcycle rider were ejected in the crash; both were pronounced dead at the scene. The other cyclist was not injured.
The accident remains under investigation. No further information is currently available.
Reports about this collision may seem pretty straightforward, and I don't have any specific reason to argue with police findings. Maybe things really are as simple as they sound, but unless police found every indisputable detail they needed to be sure they had the whole story it's important to look more carefully. A wreck caused by simple carelessness might look exactly the same as one caused by a medical emergency or brake failure, but obviously those situations are quite different.
I read the same reports as anyone else and I don't want to speculate about how or why this terrible incident occurred. I just firmly believe that people affected by major accidents like this one deserve to know they have all the facts--whatever they choose to do with them afterward. Hopefully authorities will take the time and care needed to ensure they got the whole story.
