Immigration Agents Arrest Truck Driver in Swanson Accident »
publishd July 25, 2010:
The driver in the accident that killed bicyclist Alice Swanson was picked up on an immigration charge Thursday,reported WUSA9. Marco Fuentes Flores was arrested at a trucking company in Sterling, two days after a WUSA9 story earlier in the week revealing Flores’ continued employment at the trucking company despite his questionable driving record. Records also show that Flores had been convicted of smuggling drugs, confined in federal prison and deported before returning to drive a garbage truck.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, the news story and interview with Ruth Rowan, the mother of Alice Swanson, provided information leading to the arrest. “I don’t have anything against immigrants. But it seems it was the only way to get him off the road,” said Rowan in an interview following the arrest. KMG Hauling, Flores’ previous and current employer, settled out-of-court with Swanson’s family without admitting liability in the death.
A ghost bike remains at 20th and R streets, the location of the accident.
Remembering Alice Swanson, 2 years later.
Ghost bike at Fairfax crash site
Friday, May 28, 2010
According to DC Indymedia a white ghost bike has appeared at the site of the fatal bike crash at the corner of Forum Dr and Lee Hwy/Rt 29 just south of the Fairfax County Government Center, where 18-year old Abdelouahid “Abdul” Chadli was killed. A ghost bike “is a bicycle set up in a place where a cyclist has been hurt or killed by a motor vehicle, as a roadside memorial.”
Several items have already been placed at the site as you can see in the background of the photo. When I stopped by there on Tuesday a small crowd was gathered and we’ve heard there have been people visiting the site daily.
On Sunday members of the Fairfax High School wrestling team gathered at the site to mourn Chadli’s death.
Why don’t you spend your time admonishing the drivers who talk on cell phones, fly through back alleys (emerging on streets without looking), run red lights, etc.? For every bad cyclist out there you claim to see, I could find 100 terrible drivers.
Regardless, I don’t care if a cyclist is riding recklessly or a pedestrian is jaywalking; nobody deserves to be struck by a vehicle and killed when it could be avoided by lowering speed limits and enforcing traffic laws for cars and trucks.
— response to comment on DCist article about Constance Holden’s ghost bike
Ghost Bike for Constance Holden Appears Amid Security Fences
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association has just posted some photos to its Facebook page of a white “ghost bike” placed at the corner of 12th Street and New York Ave. NW in honor of Constance Holden, who was killed Monday evening after a collision with a D.C. National Guard truck.
The bicycle is currently locked to a street sign right beside some temporary fencing in place for the Nuclear Security Summit, which is winding down today. The above image also eerily shows a military transport truck similar to the one involved in Holden’s death parked right beside the tribute. From WABA’s press release:
The tragic crash, coming quick on the heels of a hit and run incident between a driver and a cyclist, calls even greater attention to the need for increased driver awareness, better street design and continued bicycle education efforts. Ghost bikes are somber memorials for bicyclists who are killed or hit on the street. A bicycle which has been painted white will be locked to a street sign near the crash site to serve as a reminder of the tragedy and as a quiet statement in support of cyclists’ right to safe travel. Cyclists and others who visit the memorial are encouraged to bring flowers. Due to enhanced security measures downtown, WABA recommends that no packages be left at the site.
For whatever reason, Alice Swanson’s death touched the local zeitgist in a way other fatalities have not. It happened during the morning rush in a pedestrian heavy part of town - so there were a lot of witnesses to the aftermath and a greater ability to empathize. It was a block from WABA HQ. She was a bike commuter. She died almost instantly. There was no evidence that she broke the law. So there are a lot of reasons, beyond her appearance, that contributed to her situation being elevated in my opinion.”
Difference between Alice Swanson Memorial and shooting victim memorials? Alice Swanson memorial was dedicated to a white, educated, incredibly attractive young woman while shooting memorials are typically for 18 year-old gang bangers who sold heroin until they wandered into someone else’s pissing area.
Difference between the AS memorial and car crash memorials? people expect people to die senselessly behind the wheel, so from a public perspective it just does not warrant as much of an outcry.
I don’t know, just my knee jerk reaction to all the din from the past 24 hours or so.
As a bike commuter, frequent rider, and like most others a veteran of bicycle accidents, deaths like that of Alice Swanson hit me close to home. However, I don’t see why Ms Swanson’s memorial should receive different treatment than that of others.
I have walked past more than one memorial for others who were killed — shooting victims. These memorials are indeed removed after a short period. Like Alice’s memorial these memorials decry bad things that happen in our community.
What about Alice Swanson and/or her memorial makes it worthy of staying for eternity while others do not?
from Legba Carrefour’s blog, Alice Swanson Rides Again:
On August 31, 2009, the Department of Public Works, under the direction of the office of DC Mayor Adrian Fenty removed the ghost bike. This was done without warning or notice given to the friends or family. Allegedly, the removal came after local business owners complained that the ghost bike had become an eyesore, although no business has yet come forward to identify itself as the source of the complaint. Family, friends and the general community have been outraged by what they see as a callous disregard for Alice’s memory.
On September 10, 2009, the ghost bike returned. With friends.
Twenty-two bicycles have been placed around the intersection of Connecticut Avenue, 20th Street, and R Street (the original site of the ghost bike), one for each year of Alice’s life. Hopefully, this will get Mayor Fenty’s attention.
As one of Alice’s friends from childhood, I’m pretty insulted that they took down this memorial. As J and Tho mentioned, it is a visual reminder for motorists to demonstrate more caution; something that is not nearly so poignantly remembered when there’s a simple yellow caution sign, pamphlet, or news article. Memorials of this ilk should remain— if they remind a single motorist to slow down and prevent another senseless loss of life, then it is a job well done.
I don’t wish this tragedy on anyone.
— comment posted on washingtoncitypaper.com in response to the article about the removal of Alice’s ghost bike from Dupont Circle
Alice Swanson Memorial Removed »
from washingtoncitypaper.com:
The ghost bike memorializing cyclist Alice Swanson has been removed.Swanson was killed at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and R Street NW on July 8, 2008. The snow-white bike had remained there since shortly after the tragedy. She was hit by a trash truck while she was riding her bicycle to work.
The bike’s removal came in response to complaints from Dupont Circle business owners, according to both Anna Shoup, Swanson’s roommate, and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.
“WABA called me this morning to say that the mayor’s office had taken down her ghost bike, pretty much without giving her family and friends time to put together any sort of response,” said Shoup. Ghost bikes are supposed to remain in place in perpetuity.
from Flickr user Lucky-V (away): ghost bike for Alice Swanson in Dupont Circle, DC
