tina marie brown

Jury to deliberate in case of bicyclist's death

"A Polk County jury today will deliberate the fate of a driver who allegedly struck and killed a Des Moines bicyclist last year. Jurors, after six days of testimony, will decide whether Jonathon Quincy Adams, 36, of Des Moines was drunk when Tina Marie Brown, 46, was killed Dec. 8, 2006, in the 1500 block of Southeast Park Avenue. Adams surrendered to police a few days later and was charged with vehicular homicide and failure to render aid.
Adams testified Monday that he had been drinking at a party, but that he was not drunk when he struck Brown. Adams said that he didn't stop because he was unsure of what he had struck and that he did not see bicyclist."

.....

this is the article from the register's website this morning. at breakfast earlier today, the register had an article which my foggy memory leads me to believe indicated that he had been convicted, and would be facing up to seventeen years in prison at sentencing.

in any event, i want to say this: a few days ago, on the anniversary of ms. brown's funeral, i noticed that a blog reader had viewed my blog entry on the death of ms. brown. i was touched that a friend or family member had come back to reread my words, and to them, i want to say that i have not forgotten the moving funeral service that morning, and the song that the young man--her son. or a young friend, i believe, played and sang for her at the services. i will never forget the kind words that i exchanged with family members and friends who thanked us--the cycling "community"--for showing up to show our love and concern for our fallen two-wheeled comrade.

if, in fact, mr. adams is convicted, i'll consider it a rare and significant victory for the rights of those of us who choose to ride our bikes on the streets and roadways of iowa. it would be a fitting tribute to ms. brown, whose love for cycling, i learned at her funeral, saw her riding for utility and pleasure all year round, like so many of us.

i, for one, will never forget the experience.