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Colorado Cyclist Employees Die in Crash

Published August 8, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (BRAIN)—Two Colorado Cyclist employees were killed on August 6 when a motorist apparently drove her one-ton pickup into a group of cyclists, according to Colorado Springs police and local news accounts.

The two were Edgar "E.J." Juarez, 30, of Chicago, and Jayson Kilroy, 28, of the Detroit area. Both worked in phone sales at Colorado Cyclist, according to sales director Mike Creed Sr.

“It’s been a very tough day,” said Creed, who had to identify Kilroy’s body at the coroner’s office. “Going to identify Jayson’s body last night was something I’ll never get over. These were both great guys. It’s senseless. An absolutely senseless tragedy.”

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Barbara Thomas, 63, was driving up 26th Street in a 1986 Ford F-350 at about 7:40 p.m. when she turned left onto a diagonal side street, Westend Avenue, reportedly striking the two cyclists, who had been in front of another group descending 26th Street as part of a Wednesday-night group ride.

Thomas has been charged with vehicular homicide and investigators say she was under the influence of drugs, most likely prescription medications at the time of the crash.

Police say Thomas was also not wearing corrective lenses and she is required to do so.

The 26th Street climb is a popular out-and-back cycling route that climbs past Fairview Cemetery, dips briefly near the Bear Creek Nature Center and then ascends Gold Camp Road.

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