Fatal bike crash leaves unanswered questions

INDEPENDENCE, Missouri - After 56 years of marriage, it's hard to wake up without him. It's one of many emotions Dana Bickel is feeling as she comes to grips with the loss of her husband Bill in a bicycle accident.

Bill Bickel, 78, died at the scene when he hit the rear of a Missouri state trooper's patrol car on westbound Missouri Highway 210 in rural Clay County. Dana Bickel says the side of her husband's face struck the car's tail light.

The state trooper was parked on the shoulder writing a citation. He didn't see the bike crash, and Dana Bickel still doesn't know what caused it or how her husband died.

The accident comes as a shock to cycling enthusiasts. One longtime mechanic and cyclist says accidents where a bicycle strikes another object are extremely rare. Usually the cyclist is the one getting hit.

Dana Bickel says her husband was familiar with the route and always wore a helmet. She says he was a loving father, husband, and friend to many people.