Hancock County begins investigation in death of bicyclist

8/15/2007

MOUNT CORY, Ohio - The Hancock County Sheriff's Office has called on the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation to help with the case of a bicyclist who was found dead on a county road where he was hit by a motor vehicle Saturday. Authorities expect to spend weeks investigating.

Scott T. Lee, 44, is thought to have been riding from Bluffton, in southwestern Hancock County, back to his home in Pandora when he apparently was hit about 3:20 a.m. on Hancock County Road 16, south of State Rt. 12, Deputy Darl Deeds said.

"It was normal for him to ride his bicycle at all times of the night and day," the deputy said.

Deputy Deeds declined to give any information about the motor vehicle or its occupants, who he said called authorities to say they had hit a bicyclist but did not stay at the scene.

However, authorities caught up with the vehicle several miles away, where it became disabled, apparently because the collision with the bicycle caused it to lose transmission oil, the deputy said.

Mr. Lee is thought to have been stopped on the road when the vehicle hit him that foggy night.