Posted on 06/20/2024 10:11:14 AM PDT by Signalman
One of the cyclists who got mowed down by a car in Texas is crediting his own bike for saving his life after an alleged drunk driver ran over him -- who, BTW, has now been ID'd.
Cops say Benjamin Hylander -- an American Airlines cargo worker -- careened his car into retired physician Tom Geppert and his fellow cycling group rider Deborah Eads near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Monday ... and now, we know the charges he's facing.
Remember ... this was all caught in shocking viral footage -- which shows Geppert and Eads getting hit from the back ... and Geppert getting crushed by the car. Now ... TG is recounting the whole thing ... telling a local media outlet he's lucky to be alive.
Tom explained the only thing he remembers is something pushing him from behind and then falling. As we see from the footage, the driver slowed down for a bit ... but then continued to drive forward ... running over Tom's leg/body, which he says led to him losing consciousness.
Docs diagnosed Tom with a concussion after performing a CT scan. Additionally, he was left with an injury to his left hamstring, a fractured rib on the backside and a severe laceration -- which Deborah sustained as well. Miraculously, they weren't more severely injured.
Looking on the bright side, Tom says he's "just overall amazingly lucky that I'm still alive" -- and he's grateful the car rolled over his thigh, especially since the bike on him elevated the car a bit and served as a bit of a cushion.
As for Hylander -- he was stopped by Good Samaritans until police arrived ... who led him away in handcuffs. Police say he failed field sobriety tests and a breathalyzer too ... and he was booked on 2 counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, accident involving injury, and driving while intoxicated with a BAC greater than 0.15.
He's being held at the Tarrant County Corrections Center on a $36,000 bond ... and American Airlines has confirmed he's being withheld from service.
Unfortunately, there are some bicycle riders who think that just because the law is on their side that they are somehow magically protected from any harm.
Thanks for confirming my assessment of you.
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