Paraplegic IM athlete dies...

Triathlete struck by car, dies

CADDELL IS FIRST BICYCLIST KILLED IN TWO YEARS

BY TRAVIS LOOP
WEST HAWAII TODAY
[email protected]
Sunday, February 27, 2005 8:49 AM HST



Paraplegic triathlete Randy Caddell died after being struck by a vehicle while he was riding his bicycle on Queen Kaahumanu Highway near Malulani Gardens Friday afternoon.

Caddell, 37, a two-time winner of the Ironman Triathlon World Championship handcycle division, was traveling north on Queen Kaahumanu Highway on his racing bicycle and wheelchair hybrid, according to a Hawaii County Police report.

Kona patrol officers responded to a 4:27 p.m. emergency call and determined Caddell was struck by a 2003 Mazda MPVH operated by a 37-year-old Kailua-Kona woman who was making a left turn onto Malulani Street.

Caddell, of Kailua-Kona, was transported to Kona Community Hospital by fire rescue personnel and later died at 7:08 p.m., becoming the first bicyclist killed by a vehicle in West Hawaii since spring 2003.

Traffic Enforcement Unit officers have initiated a standard negligent homicide investigation and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Alcohol and speed are not considered factors in the accident, police said.

Carole Jean Bradburn, Caddell's girlfriend, and several of his friends were with him at the hospital when he died. The accident had caused severe brain damage and other serious injuries, said Joanne Benoit, a friend.

Caddell hurt his arm during the 2004 Ironman Triathlon and Friday was his first day training on the roads of Kona since the injury. He rode his bicycle from Kailua-Kona to Honaunau Bay, one of his favorite places, where he called Bradburn to tell her that he would be stopping at The Club to workout. Caddell was returning from Honaunau when the accident occurred.

"Randy had a strong spirit that lives on," said Bradburn, who also trained with Caddell in long-distance swimming. "He loved to race and had a strong determination to do his best. He had a great sense of humor and perspective on life. I loved and cared about him dearly. And he will always be my angel."




Caddell competed in more than 30 Ironman triathlons around the world including Germany, Jamaica, Lake Placid, N.Y., Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain. He won the handcycle division in Kona in 2002 and 2003. He also regularly participated in marathons on the Big Island, Maui and Oahu.

"Words can't express how much it meant to Randy to compete in the Ironman," said Diana Bertsch, event director for the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona. "He had a passion for racing and was definitely known all over the world for his competitiveness. Handcycle athletes like Randy are admired by so many and offer inspiration to people of all abilities and ages."

Caddell became a paraplegic after a motorcycle accident in Santa Cruz, Calif., when he was 19 years old. Since then, he spoke to students at numerous schools about overcoming challenges and the dangers of drinking and driving.

The last confirmed fatality from a vehicle striking a bicyclist came in April 2003, when Debra Kelly of Pagosa, Colo., died after a car hit her on Akoni Pule Highway in Kohala. The death of Kona resident Wayne Scrimshaw while riding his bicycle in the May 2003 Keauhou-Kona Triathlon was never conclusively determined to have been caused by a collision with a car.

Ann Peterson of People's Advocacy for Trails Hawaii, said the accident is extremely unfortunate and that PATH continues to lobby the Hawaii Department of Transportation to include bike paths in the widening of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.

"The community developed a plan eight years ago that includes bike lanes, separated traffic and landscaping, which would slow cars down and allow bike use in a safe environment," Peterson said. The DOT has not yet shared widening plans with Kona residents, she said.

Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to call officer Sharlotte Bird at 326-4646, extension 229 or the Hilo Traffic Enforcement Unit office at 961-8889.

Memorial services are tentatively planned for Saturday