Devout cycling enthusiast and racer was riding his bicycle alone in a northerly direction on the shoulder of a county road near Sartell, Minnesota, this week when witnesses saw a large Ford SUV drift onto the shoulder behind him and clip Seiler from behind. The 51-year-old cyclist, who was well-known in the local fitness community, was thrown off his bike into the ditch and died at the scene, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
Friends said the cyclist was riding safely and routinely when the accident happened in daylight hours on the evening of September 8. He is being mourned by friends and family and remembered for being a good-natured and talented competitor during cycling and fitness contests. In fact, friends of the cyclist told the St. Cloud newspaper that he recently finished second in his age group at the recent Harvest Duathlon in Alexandria, Minnesota. He was a well-liked, long-time member of the St. Cloud River Runners and he was associated in his employment with Wisconsin’s Trek Bicycle company, the newspaper reported.
Bicycle accident lawyer Fred Pritzker is an avid cyclist himself who is a national advocate for bike safety. Deadly bicycle accidents are preventable and negligent motorists must be held accountable when they break rules of the road or drive without full attention.
“I am personally aware of the dangers on the road, and that drivers just don’t look for bicyclists,” Mr. Prizker said. “Too often, in fact, cyclists are treated by motorists as obstructions or nuisances.”
This fatal bicycle accident is under further investigation by the Stearns County sheriff’s office, including accident reconstruction by experts from the State Patrol. The Sheriff’s Office said in its news release that rescuers attempted to revive the bicyclist at the scene of the crash, but were unsuccessful. The SUV-bicycle crash happened on County Road 2 in St. Wendel Township and the law enforcement report identified the SUV driver as a 73-year-old woman from Pasadena, California.
Friends of the bicyclist have taken to the River Runners’ group Facebook page to remember him as an active, helpful and friendly cycling enthusiast. “I will miss my longtime friend and bike buddy,” one entry said. “He was a great human being & will be missed by many!!” Like many similar groups around the state of Minnesota, members of the group promoted the use of proper attire and some were willing to assist new members in acquiring good safety gear.
