Illinois cyclist killed in collision with truck

Richard L. Nicodemus, 65, of Orangeville, Illinois, was killed Monday, January 10, when his bicycle collided with a flatbed truck at an intersection just outside Orangeville, according to The Freeport Journal-Standard.

Stephenson County Sheriff's Office reported that a northbound flatbed truck had stopped at a stop sign on North Henderson Road. The driver reportedly did not see any cross traffic before pulling out onto Rock Grove Road and striking the westbound bicyclist.

Nicodemus, a member of the Chainlink Cycists of northwest Illinois, is survived by his wife, three children and five grandchildren.

In an August 2008 Journal-Standard feature story about the bike club, Nicodemus is said to have showed up at a Monday night ride with an arm in a sling. "A crash on his bike resulted in a broken clavicle. He stayed off the bike for four weeks, but on a recent warm summer night, he decided to take a leisure ride, sling and all," the newspaper reported.

"I just love being outside, and a good ride helps keep my diabetes under control," Nicodemus was quoted saying. "The best part about being a part of a group of cyclists is a shared love of the road."