'Ghost bike' to honor cyclist killed in hit-and-run stolen for 3rd time
AUSTIN, Texas - A "ghost bike", something used to honor those killed while cycling, is being replaced for the third time in Southeast Austin.
In March 2022, 74-year-old Keith Culver was killed in a hit-and-run during a cross-country cycling trip with friends.
The nonprofit organization Austin Ghost Bike Project placed a ghost bike near Stassney Lane to honor the victim and bring awareness to crashes involving cyclists.
"Take a less aggressive approach while driving. Slow down, let's all arrive alive, and hopefully that message, as well as the memorial, a message will go out to people that are driving vehicles," says Austin Ghost Bike Project volunteer Rhodney Williams.
According to the nonprofit, the original ghost bike placed at the memorial site disappeared shortly after it was installed.
"We know that the city removed it the first time, because if you look at the sidewalk here, they did an improvement, so we know they removed it. Of course, we wish they would have called us. We would have come and got it," says Williams.
Austin Ghost Bike Project replaced the bike and volunteer Rhodney Williams said that one vanished as well.
"There is no way to really know, but we can only think that it was stolen, maybe for scrap metal or something, which is hard to believe that someone would do that to a memorial site," says Williams.
On Thursday, the nonprofit organization agreed to place a third ghost bike at the memorial site.
"We will do what we call ‘install the bike,’ which means we will wrap a chain around it, we will put a sign that gives some information about him and a photo of him. We started adding flowers to it. It is to make a memorial where there is an awareness that someone died here and maybe get a message to people that drive cars to understand that this happens," says Williams.
The suspect involved in the crash was last seen driving a black Toyota four-door sedan, with an unknown license plate. There have been no reports of an arrest made.
The Austin Ghost Bike Project is asking the city to make safety improvements for cyclists to bring an end to the deadly crashes.
"We are pushing for more bike lanes, better protected bike lanes, and upkeep of those bike lanes," says Williams.
There are about 30 ghost bikes in the city of Austin and 10 are currently missing.
The organization says it is working with the city to make sure they are notified before the bikes are removed.