PECULIAR, Mo. – A cyclist was left sore and in disbelief Thursday night after being hit by an SUV operated by a driver who was looking at his phone. The driver was also an on-duty police officer.
William Fasanello said he was stopped at intersection waiting for traffic when he saw the marked police cruiser approach the intersection.
“When he started making his turn, I noticed it was too sharp and it was way too late even attempting jumping out of the way,” Fasanello recalled. The SUV collided with Fasanello and his bike, and his GoPro camera captured the whole thing.
The driver was Officer Charles Wallace, who admitted that he wasn’t paying attention to the road. “My bad” he can be heard saying in the video. “I was looking at my phone.”
Fasanello walked away with minor injuries. His bike, worth several thousand dollars, didn’t fare so well. He’d like the department to replace it.
“You know at the very least the department owes me a formal apology, and they owe me a replacement bike that does the exact same function as the old one, plus medical bills of course,” said Fasanello.
The police chief says Officer Wallace passed a drug and alcohol test, and is on paid leave until the investigation is complete.
