Bicyclist In Back Bay Hit-And-Run Dies, Car Possibly Found
BOSTON (CBS) — The bicyclist who was struck by a car in the Back Bay over the weekend died early Tuesday, hours before police found a car that may be the one that hit him.
Rick Archer, 29, of South Boston, passed away two days after he was run down on Commonwealth Avenue.
Archer's father posted on Facebook Tuesday morning, saying:
"You were taken too soon from us my son. 29 years is not nearly enough. My heart will never heal from the loss we are all feeling with your passing. We can only move on and carry with us all that you have given us during your short stay in this world. Your humor, smile, outlook, intestinal fortitude, compassion, integrity, opinions, zeal and zest will be so greatly missed but cherished as your spirit lives on in all that you have touched. I read the messages sent to me by those who's lives you've encountered whether for 5 minutes or 5 years and I cry so hard and deep because I see how much you are loved. A lot died with me when you left us my son. I love you."
Relatives of cyclist Rick Archer priase his life. On FB, his sister writes "Rick...has touched the lives of people around the world."
— Carl Stevens (@carlwbz) May 2, 2017
While Archer was not working at the time of the crash, many posts by family members online showed that he had been a bike courier.
Brian Lombardi, a bike messenger who worked with Archer, said, "He was a real nice guy and down to earth, for sure. He was very, very smart, and had a lot of things that he wanted to do."
At the intersection where police say bike messenger Rick Archer was hit, dragged, & killed. #wbz pic.twitter.com/P7hirsk3ZJ
— Christina Hager (@HagerWBZ) May 2, 2017
Hours after Archer's death, around 6 a.m., police sealed off part of the Boston Common parking garage, where a car was found that appeared to match the description of the suspect vehicle.
A member of the Boston Common Parking Garage security team had notified police of the car.
The Toyota Camry has a smashed front windshield and damage to its roof. It has New York license plates.
Investigators on the scene could be seen examining the damage seen on the car.
Police had been waiting for a warrant so they could search the interior of the car.
Just before noon, a tow truck arrived at the parking garage to take away the car in question.
It was not confirmed whether police had identified the vehicle's owner or not.
Car now covered in tarp. Just towed from Boston Common parking garage #wbz pic.twitter.com/nnO5P2m9wH
— Anna Meiler (@AnnaMeiler) May 2, 2017
Police have been searching for a silver sedan that hit and dragged Archer on Commonwealth Avenue and Claredon Street at approximately 3:20 a.m. Sunday.
According to Police Commissioner Bill Evans, the car then sped off and took a wrong-way turn down Berkeley Street.
BPD Commissioner Evans says, "I believe we've got the vehicle in what's now a vehicular homicide case."
— Lana Jones (@Lanawbz) May 2, 2017
The Boston Cyclists Union had a meeting already scheduled on Tuesday with city councilor Josh Zakim concerning bike safety in the Back Bay area.
Community Organizer Doug Johnson explained that he was proposing the city mark more narrow lanes throughout Back Bay to slow drivers down, lowering the speed limit was not enough.
"This is not the first time that something like this has happened," said Johnson. "Beacon Street has been a site of a number of fatal crashes over the last few years, so we've been focusing on that area."
Archer is the fourth Massachusetts bicyclist that has been killed in 2017.
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