Cyclist Wins $383K Verdict in Essex Bike-Car Crash
Table of Contents
Case Background
The case arose from a collision between a bicyclist and a motorist on July 7, 2021, in Essex, Connecticut. Mark C. Diebolt, a competitive triathlete and official member of Team USA, had been riding his bicycle north on Route 154, approaching the intersection with South Cove Lane. The road descended sharply toward the intersection. South Cove Lane, connected to Route 154 from the east.
As Diebolt approached the intersection, a GMC Yukon Denali driven by Keith B. Neilson moved forward from South Cove Lane into the roadway. Neilson had been looking to his right to check traffic, advancing past vegetation that obscured his view. Diebolt saw the SUV enter his path and braked hard, but he collided with the vehicle’s driver-side front corner. The force threw him over the handlebars, onto the windshield, and then to the pavement.
Cause
Diebolt claimed the crash happened because Neilson had failed to yield the right of way and had moved into the main road without ensuring it was safe. He pointed to multiple Connecticut traffic laws that, in his view, Neilson had violated.
One central point in his complaint was that Route 154 is a state-designated bicycle route under Connecticut’s “Share the Road” program. Signs along the route warned motorists to expect cyclists. Diebolt argued that Neilson, who lived near the intersection, knew the area well and should have expected bicycle traffic.
The complaint also alleged that Neilson had failed to keep a proper lookout, had not stopped at the designated stop line, and had moved his vehicle into the cyclist’s path when it was unsafe to do so. According to Diebolt, this combination of errors caused the crash.
Neilson, however, denied that he was at fault. He claimed that Diebol
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