HINESBURG, Vt. (BRAIN) — The Vermont cycling community is mourning Richard Tom, a prominent cyclist and former bike shop employee who died Sunday after being hit by a car.
Tom, 47, had worked at Earl's Cyclery and Fitness in South Burlington, Vt., for more than 10 years, and he most recently worked at VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, according to the Burlington Free Press.
The driver of the car, a 17-year-old high school student, also died. According to the newspaper, the driver may have been going about 60 mph in his Honda Civic when he struck Tom. After hitting the cyclist, the car went over an embankment and hit a tree, ejecting the driver, the police said.
According to the paper, passersby created a memorial at the site of the collision.
A handwritten sign placed above the memorial stated: "As you come here to grieve the sad loss of Joseph and to pay your respect to his memory, please remember that a man named Richard, who also was loved by family and friends, went out for a bike ride on a beautiful Sunday morning and never came home.
"When you get back in your car, remember the epic responsibility you have to those who love you, and those who don't even know you, to come home safe!"
