A man who police say struck and killed a bicyclist in Kirkland on July 22 will not face felony criminal charges, according to Kirkland police.
A man who police say struck and killed a bicyclist in Kirkland on July 22 will not face felony criminal charges, according to Kirkland police.
Although Nicholas N. Natale hit cyclist John Przychodzen after swerving onto the shoulder in his pickup, he did not commit a crime, said Detective Allan O’Neill.
Natale, who was 18 at the time of the accident, was issued an infraction for an unsafe lane change in the 8600 block of Northeast Juanita Drive. He swerved to avoid hitting an oncoming car, police said.
“It was a terrible accident, and it is unfortunate that someone lost their life,” O’Neill said.
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Przychodzen, who was visiting from Connecticut, was riding his bike northwest on the curvy, hilly road when he was struck, said Seattle attorney Chris Davis, who has been hired by Przychodzen’s family.
On Monday, Davis filed a civil suit in King County Superior Court. The Przychodzen family is not seeking a specific dollar amount in damages.
“The family is devastated and upset that this driver … is getting off with only a $42 ticket,” Davis said. “The family believes certainly that police should have assessed criminal charges against him.”
Davis said his firm interviewed three witnesses to the crash who said the pickup driver “essentially drifted off onto the shoulder.” Davis said the witnesses dispute the police account that the pickup driver swerved to avoid hitting another car.
“The civil suit is to uncover the truth. To find out how this occurred,” Davis said.
Seattle Times new researchers Miyoko Wolf and David Turim contributed to this story.
Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com