Cyclist Struck and Killed by Vehicle, LIVINGSTON, May 18, 2016 - At approximately 9:40 pm on May 17, 2016, a black 2009 Dodge Nitro RT, driven by Mikaela Mercer, 31, of Livingston, was east-bound on US-190 West when a man on a bicycle appeared in front of her vehicle. Mercer couldn't avoid a collision and struck the cyclist. The cyclist was believed to have been coming from the parking lot of the First United Methodist Church. The impact knocked the cyclist to the shoulder (directly in front of Livingston First United Methodist Church), Mercer pulled to the shoulder a short distance further. Americare Ambulance Service was dispatched to the scene along with Sergeant Chad Ward and Officer Jason Thomas with Livingston Police Department, Sergeant Craig Taylor, Corporal Javier Segura, Deputies Ronald Bogany, and Teddy Simms with the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Troopers Zach Lenderman, Kyle Daniel and Sergeant Sam Lattner with the Texas Highway Patrol. The cyclist (later identified as Bruce Marx, 56, of Livingston) was loaded into an ambulance and transported to CHI Livingston Memorial Hospital where a helicopter from PHi Air Medical landed and transported him to Conroe Regional Hospital. Sadly, Marx passed away a short time later. Traffic on the east-bound side of 190 was partially blocked during investigation and cleanup. Marx was wearing a bicycle helmet. Mercer's vehicle sustained light damage and was driven from the scene. The accident remains under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Trooper Zach Lenderman consoles Mikaela Mercer at the scene. Mercer was visibly distraught from the accident.
Sergeant Chard Ward (reaching down) and Officer Jason Thomas with Livingston Police Department assisted at the scene.
Mercer was driving this 2009 Dodge Nitrol RT. Evidence suggests that cyclist Bruce Marx's head struck the passenger's side of Mercer's vehicle in the area of the mirror.
Trooper Kyle Daniel also assisted at the scene.
Sergeant Sam Lattner (left) assists Trooper Lenderman. Lenderman is the primary investigator.
Marx was wearing a bicycle helmet. The helmet was broken from the impact.
Mercer is consoled by a friend.
Bruce Marx was loaded on a PHi Air Medical helicopter and flown to Conroe Regional Hospital.
PHi Air Medical lifts off and heads for Conroe Regional. Marx would pass away a short time later.
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