Six amateur cyclists were struck by a Ford Super Duty diesel truck near Waller, Texas USA on Saturday morning, with two riders sustaining injuries that required an immediate airlift to hospital, one with head trauma. Two other riders were taken to hospital by ambulance with shoulder, back and neck injuries.
“When I pulled up on the scene, I thought I was going to be pulling up to people that were dead,” witness Chase Ferrell stated to local media.
The cyclists were 75 miles into a 100 mile training ride when the F-350 crashed into them after a 16 year-old driver started using the oversized truck to taunt the group with black diesel smoke exhaust, according to eyewitness statements.
The cyclists state the teen driver of the F-350 truck was intentionally trying harm the riders by blowing diesel particles (aka “rolling coal”) on them when he accelerated past. Instead of “rolling coal” the teen drove directly into the group of six cyclists, crashing them all to the ground.
After hitting the cyclists, the teen driver pulled over and spoke to police officers when they arrived on-scene, but he was not charged or arrested.
Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis said the teen could face assault charges, but that no arrests have been made as police continue to investigate the crash.
PHOTOS: C.Ferrell
GRAN FONDO DAILY NEWS 