A cyclist taking part in Sunday’s Etape Loch Ness was killed in a collision with a driver.
Police Scotland is now investigating and appealed for witnesses to come forward, a spokesperson confirming the collision happened on Island Bank Road, which is a road used by the closed road sportive as riders return to the start/finish in Inverness after a 66-mile route around Loch Ness. Images from the scene showed the road cordoned off by the entrance to Bellfied Park while officers investigated.
The event is Scotland’s largest closed road sportive although, at this time, Police Scotland has only given the name of the road and said the fatal collision “occurred next to the event area”, with no further details about the nature of the incident released.
In a second statement released on Tuesday, the force named the victim as 49-year-old Steven Wilson.
It happened at around 12.10pm on Sunday (27 April), Mr Wilson taken to Raigmore Hospital where he died a short time later. The male driver and female passenger of the BMW 120 M Sport involved were uninjured.
Police Scotland investigated at the scene, the road remaining closed until around 6pm. Enquiries continue and the force appealed for any witnesses to the collision or anyone with information to come forward.
Etape Loch Ness’s organisers released a statement on Monday saying it is “with great sadness” that they could confirm a fatality during the event.
“A 49-year-old man was involved in a collision with a vehicle next to the event area in Inverness shortly after midday. Despite receiving immediate medical attention from emergency services, he sadly died later in hospital,” they said.
Event director Malcolm Sutherland added: “We are truly devastated by the news and our heartfelt thoughts are with the rider’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. We are offering them our full support, and also supporting those affected at the event.
“We are working closely with Police Scotland and relevant authorities as they carry out a full investigation. We ask that the privacy of those involved is respected, and we echo Police Scotland’s appeal for any witnesses to call 101, quoting reference number 1334 of April 27.”
Police Scotland’s sergeant Lewis Macleod from the Road Policing Unit said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased at this difficult time. I would urge anyone who may have witnessed the crash and has not already spoken to police to please get in touch with us.
Macleod later followed up with a second statement once Mr Wilson was named, adding: “Our thoughts remain with Mr Wilson’s family and friends at this difficult time. Our enquiries into the crash are ongoing and we ask anyone who witnessed the crash and hasn’t spoken to police to come forward.”
Over the weekend it was also confirmed that a British rider had died while riding the Mallorca 312 Gran Fondo. Tributes have been heard from across the UK cycling community for Phil Williams, a Liverpool Braveheart BC member and multiple-time national TT medallist who tragically died during Saturday’s event.
16 thoughts on “Police investigate after cyclist riding Etape Loch Ness sportive killed in collision with driver”
Quote:
I would have been very surprised had it been otherwise…
Just in case it’s relevant,
Long odds, but just in case it’s relevant: this is the car that close passed me, on an empty road, at speed, last year between Inverness and Altnaharra.
In both cases the driver is
In both cases the driver is guilty, but is driving a large BMW so he can rely on the police doing everything they can to get the driver off.
Until facts are known, I
Until facts are known, I would refrain from (possibly incriminating) speculation of what a driver of a car may, or may not, have done. Nowhere does it say they were arrested or being investigated for causing the death. For all you or anyone else knows they may be totally innocent and have been caught up in a tragic accident. I feel its very irresponsible to go making allegations or trying to suggest anyone is at fault without any evidence to support it.
Ok, there’s a photo of what I
Ok, there’s a photo of what I’m assuming is the
perpetrator’s[edit] involved driver’s car in this article. Right brand and colour, wrong model.At road.cc do you think maybe
At road.cc do you think maybe comments should be closed on this as it’s an active investigation?
At road.cc do you think maybe
At road.cc do you think maybe comments should be closed on this as it’s an active investigation?
No! All this tripe about ‘mustn’t send video to internet because it may compromise the investigation’ is just a police dodge- they don’t want people to know what happened on the crystal clear video.
Sorry, but I disagree. This
Sorry, but I disagree. This isn’t a close pass or MOT dodging pick-up driver. A man died.
We’ll have to agree to
We’ll have to agree to disagree! ‘Oh! we have a video of the terrorist blowing up all those people, but we’ll have to let him go because lots of people saw it when we put it on TV to help identify him’. It’s still tripe
As I say in a previous
As I say in a previous comment, there is,at this time , no evidence whatsoever. To say the driver is any way at fault. The article says a bmw was involved. No mention of any arrrst or investigation. The driver could be completely innocent yet there is this theme of they must be to blame.
wtjs wrote:
That “tripe” has less to do with the police investigation and more about any potential trial, and the defence getting the case thrown out due to evidence being in the public domain and therefore possible influence or bias in the jury.
In a general way, not
In a general way, not particularly in this case, I always find this reasoning somewhat confusing. When there is a terrorist attack or a particularly grisly murder the press is always full of details about what happened, only excluding the name of the alleged perpetrator and that only until they are charged, but nobody ever suggests that will bias a jury. I can certainly see the argument that it could, but why is the standard so different in different cases?
Rendel Harris wrote:
I’d guess that – in the example you use – it seems beyond doubt a crime has been committed, so the process isn’t trying to establish that. In situations like the above, it may be that no crime has been committed. Even if it did lead to charges, the defence may well look to online speculation, even if not directly connected to the case (e.g. other examples of bad driving) as demonstrating that a fair trial on the facts of the case alone was not possible.
wtjs wrote:
..
There’s no reason in law
There’s no reason in law since there are no active proceedings.
Scotland does nto differ on this aiui, and the rule triggers on arrest or charge.
the article lacks crucial
the article lacks crucial specific clarity; the picture shows the car facing southbound/heading away from inverness town centre – the road closures schedule declares a closure for the inbound (north) side only.;
B862 (Dores Road / Island Bank Road) from Holm Roundabout to Ness Bridge
08:15 – 13:00 Inverness bound closure
i could speculate the rider was avoiding this very poor section of road surface – i hope you’re reading this highland council
google maps