Cycling community mourns death of one of their own

EVERETT, Wash. -- Police are still investigating a crash that took the life of a Tacoma cyclist.

Witnesses told police a southbound pickup truck suddenly veered right on Everett's Evergreen Way Wednesday evening, then sharply over-corrected and crossed six lanes - three in each direction. The vehicle hit a power pole before rolling over and striking 30-year-old bicyclist Trent Graham.
Graham started working at Gregg's Cycles just last spring. The store, six miles from the accident scene, was a natural fit.

"Very quickly became someone that we relied on and trusted," said manager Rob Stumpf. "He had a real passion for cycling. We've lost a friend as much as we've lost a coworker today."

Danica Esau, who works at the car dealership across the street, witnessed the accident.

"He was just laying there," Esau said. "Just laying there and all I could do was pray."

She and four coworkers ran over and were almost immediately joined by many others.

"People that were nurses, people who had been in wars, were all there to help and pull together," Esau said.

They watched Graham take his last breath.

"We tried, and that's the hardest part for me," Esau said. "I just hope his family knows there were people there who were really trying to help."

Police are not identifying the driver of the pickup, only saying he's a 56-year-old Kirkland man. Witnesses say the driver was dazed and didn't seem aware of what what had just happened.

Investigators are not saying what they believe caused the accident.

Graham lived with his mother and had an 11-year-old son.