Posted at 4:43 p.m., Thursday, September 27, 2007
Bicyclist killed at Haleakala National Park identified
Advertiser Staff
The death of a bicylist yesterday at Haleakala National Park — the third fatality in 10 months — has prompted park officials to call a mandatory meeting on a yet-to-be-determined date early next week with all seven bicycle tour permit holders to review safety procedures.The park is currently undergoing a review of all commercial providers doing business inside the park and is in the process of creating a commercial services plan to manage them.
The most recent fatality was identified as Roberta Blake, 65, of Amherst, Ohio.
Witnesses told investigators Blake had successfully negotiated nine miles of curved road descending 3,000 feet from the summit with a Maui Mountain Cruisers downhill tour when she lost control of her bicycle, crossed the double yellow center line and either fell or purposely went to the ground before being struck by an up-bound Maui Downhill Co. tour van, park officials said.
The van driver could not have prevented the accident, the witnesses said.
Other tour bicycle fatalities at the park occurred in November 2006 and March 2007.
