Cyclist Killed in Crash Near Woodinville Was Well-Known Track Racer

The cyclist who died Saturday in a collision on 240th Street Southeast was a well-known endurance track racer who served on the board of directors for the Marymoor Velodrome Association.

As the Seattle Times reports, 65-year-old Jerry Shafer set a new national record for fastest 100 miles on a track among men ages 60-69 during a fundraiser he organized last year. The event brought in more than $17,000 for a group that researches retinoblastoma, a rare cancer that had afflicted his grandson.

Shafer was riding down a hill on 240th Street Southeast—a road with many twists and turns—when he collided with a vehicle around 11 a.m. Saturday. Officials have said he was attempting to pass another group of cyclists when the crash occurred, according to The Times. He died at the scene.

Shafer, a Kent resident, was a Vietnam veteran who had received two Purple Hearts. A celebration of life is planned for 7 p.m. this Wednesday, June 27, at the Marymoor Velodrome in Redmond.

For more, click here to read the entire Seattle Times story, or here to read a post on Seattle Bike Blog.