Durham, NH : 58-year-old bicyclist died Sunday night after crashing his bicycle into a car door on August 17th 2014

A 58-year-old bicyclist died Sunday night after crashing his bicycle into a car door, according to authorities. Durham police said John Kavanagh was riding his bike on Main Street in a marked bike lane when a driver, who was legally parked on the side of the road, opened his driver's-side door. Kavanagh struck the open door, and was thrown into the road. Witnesses said it was a slow summertime Saturday in downtown Durham when the collision broke the evening quiet. “We saw someone laying in the middle of the road, and their bike was down too,” said Mary Scott, a junior at the University of New Hampshire who saw the crash. Scott and a fellow barista rushed out of Aroma Joe’s and saw the cyclist on the pavement injured badly. “But when he was taken into the ambulance, we saw him lift his legs up. And Claire, the girl I was working with, saw him move his mouth,” Scott said. Kavanagh was taken to Wentworth Douglas Hospital and later transferred to Mass General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. “Inititally it appears that once he contacted the car door that he went off the bike, over the door and struck the roadway,” said Durham Police Deputy Chief Rene Kelley. Police said Kavanagh was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and suffered massive head trauma. Investigators said the car’s 24-year-old driver was not under the influence of any drugs or alcohol and was parked in a legal parking space. “I don’t know what the bicyclist or the driver could have done differently,” Kelley said. “Again, the investigation is still ongoing, so we haven’t really come to a determination about fault at this point.” The accident remains under investigation. No charges have been filed. “I think it’s very sad. It’s tragic,” Scott said. “I had no idea that he had passed, so I feel bad for everyone involved in that situation because it could happen to anyone.” The town of Durham recently finished reconfiguring traffic on Main Street, making it one-way, adding parking and -- in theory -- making it safer for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists. Durham Town Manager Todd Selig said the town will carefully evaluate the specifics of the crash once police complete their investigation. He said safety on the roadway is a top priority. Source : Bicyclist dies after crashing into car door