A 65 year-old Smithfield man was seriously injured after his bicycle was struck from behind. The accident happened at 4:11pm on Saturday, January 4th on Highway 301 North about 10 feet from the intersection of Hancock Street near the Johnston County Department of Social Services.
Police said Walter Ralph Bizzell of Smithfield was riding his bicycle southbound when he was struck from behind by a 2016 Ford SUV driven by Ashleigh Paige Woolsey, 28, of Raleigh. Bizzell was rushed by Johnston County EMS to Wake Med in Raleigh with serious injuries.
According to an accident report, Woolsey told police she did not see the bicyclist until it was too late and collided with him. A witness told police the SUV tried to stop suddenly and they saw the pedestrian rolling off the vehicle. The report estimated the SUV was traveling the posted speed limit of 35 mph at the time of the collision. The bicycle was traveling approximately 5 mph.
The report said the SUV sustained $3,000 in damages. It had to be towed from the scene.
On Tuesday, police said the accident still remains under investigation. An updated condition on the victim was not immediately available.
