Bicyclist Struck By Car Dies

SEATTLE - A Bellevue dentist who was injured while she was riding her bicycle has died, and a man being held on hit-and-run charges will likely be charged with vehicular homicide, police in this Seattle suburb said.

Gail A. Alef, 54, of Redmond, who was struck by a car Sept. 18, died Sunday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, police said.

King County prosecutors said Monday they expect to decide within two weeks whether to file additional charges against Steven Edward Riedel, 58, who was taken to Western State Hospital for a mental evaluation at the request of his lawyer. Bail was set at $100,000.

Riedel, initially charged with vehicular assault and felony hit-and-run, will probably be charged soon with vehicular homicide, police officer Stacey P. Holland said.

Investigators said Alef and some friends were riding on a street west of downtown Redmond when a Nissan 300ZX coming from the opposite direction hit the curb and veered across the median toward them. Five other bicyclists got out of the way, but Alef hit the curb, fell and was run over.

Riedel, arrested about 15 minutes later at the Willows Run Golf Course, left the scene on foot and removed his pants, shoes and socks to try to disguise his appearance, police wrote.

He told police voluntarily that he had taken alcohol, marijuana and antidepressants the night before the accident, and marijuana and smoking paraphernalia were found in the car, according to police reports. Toxicology tests were pending.

Foggy weather at the time was "a contributing factor, but I don't think it will have much to do with the real reason," Holland said.