Teen who hit cyclist may have been text messaging

HIGHLANDS RANCH — A 17-year-old likely will face misdemeanor charges of careless driving resulting in death after allegedly losing control of his car while text messaging and hitting a cyclist.

Under Colorado law he could face up to a year in prison.

The victim, Jim R. Price, of Highlands Ranch, died Friday.

“We do not believe it was an intentional act, but it was inattentiveness to the roadway,” said Lt. Alan Stanton, spokesman for Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

“The investigation showed that he was text-messaging on his cell phone” at the time of the accident, said Stanton. “We do not believe it was an intentional act but it was inattentiveness to the roadway.”

It was the second time Price, an avid cyclist, had been hit by car. He suffered a broken ankle two years ago when he was hit while riding on a bike path. His wife, Shirley, said he had been especially mindful of cars since then.

Shirley Price wasn’t angry with the teen. “I feel sorry for the teenager,” she said. “It was a stupid mistake,” she told the Rocky Mountain News.

Jim Price had taken up cycling while working as a geologist for Texas-based Huber Corp. in Houston in 1997.

After the Mannington, W.Va., native retired he moved to Colorado and began building bicycles as well as riding them.

“When he got to Denver, he saw all the bike paths and he found it was a good hobby to occupy him when he retired,” she said. “He liked to build his bicycles inside the house, and he liked to go on the computer and get bicycle parts. He also liked helping people who had problems with bicycles.”