Bicyclist hit by car in Virginia Beach has died

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Two people were injured, including a cyclist, after a crash involving a vehicle and bicycle at the intersection of Indian River Road and Sand Pebbles Drive Thursday afternoon.

Friday morning, Virginia Beach Police confirmed the bicyclist, later identified as 49-year-old Colin Sutton, had died.

The driver involved is in stable condition, police said.

Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate released a statement on the incident, offering condolences to Sutton’s family and friends.

“On behalf of the Virginia Beach Police Department, I offer my condolences to Mr. Sutton’s family and friends,” Neudigate said. “As we are seeing an increase in injury crashes where the bicyclist and/or pedestrian is the causative factor, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage both pedestrians and cyclists to pay strict attention to traffic signals, to use marked crosswalks, and to use extreme caution while crossing roadways.”

Jackie Koch, a neighbor in the area, said the intersections in the area have always been a problem. 

“I hate this intersection. It’s just so ridiculous,” Koch said. “I’m always afraid that I’m going to get a head-on collision right here, or at this intersection right here. We call it the triangle of death because there are so many accidents right here. It’s just the stupidest intersection and the way they built it.”

Koch said the intersection has only gotten worse since it was built.

“People run the red lights all the time,” Koch said, “and then they’re having accidents because they don’t know which direction because the signs don’t tell you how to maneuver the intersection before the intersection.”

Koch says she’d like the city to improve signage in the area so no one else gets hurt.

“I would like something a sign that says that these people have their own lane when they’re merging over,” Koch said, “or just an overpass or something so that they don’t have to merge across the way that they do.”

As a result of the crash, all lanes of Indian River Road between Indian Lakes Boulevard and Sand Pebbles Drive were closed until the scene was cleared.

The crash remains under investigation, but police said no charges are anticipated.