Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Wheels of justice grind slowly

The recent conviction of a California doctor of deliberately injuring two cyclists by slamming on his car’s brakes on a narrow road last year prompted me to look into the case against the driver facing felony charges in an 2007 accident that left Belleville cyclist and photographer Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, pictured at left, paralyzed from the chest down.

The California case against Dr. Christopher Thompson moved relatively quickly through the legal system. On July 4, 2008, Thompson stopped his car after passing the two cyclists and shouting at them to ride single file. According to a Los Angeles Times story, the cyclists testified they began maneuvering to ride single file when they noticed Thompson's car approaching fast behind them and that the driver passed dangerously close before abruptly stopping.

USC and UCLA cycling coach Ron Peterson was thrown into the rear windshield of the doctor's red Infiniti, breaking his front teeth and nose and lacerating his face. Cyclist Christian Stoehr suffered a separated shoulder.

A police officer testified that Thompson told him soon after the accident that the cyclists had cursed at him and flipped him off, so he slammed on his brakes "to teach them a lesson," according to the Times account.

The three-week trial ended Monday when a Los Angeles County jury convicted Thompson of mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon, battery with serious injury and reckless driving causing serious injury.

Meanwhile, the St. Clair County case against Keith Joseph McCoy -- the St. Charles, Mo., man accused of driving the truck that struck Gerry Frierdich's recumbent bicycle -- still is not close to resolution. In late 2007, a St. Clair County grand jury indicted McCoy on two counts of aggravating driving under the influence, a Class 4 felony charge in Illinois.

On Aug. 17, 2007, Belleville police allege McCoy's pickup truck struck Gerry's recumbent bicycle while Gerry was biking to play golf at The Orchards on South Green Mount Road in Belleville. Police have said McCoy was asleep at the wheel when the accident occurred and that he had been drinking in the hours before the accident..

For all of 2008 and much of 2009, little action was taken on the case. On June 6, St. Clair State's Attorney Robert Haida's office filed new charges superseding the indictment. In addition to the two counts of aggravated DUI, McCoy was charged with two counts of reckless conduct, also a Class 4 felony.

Under Illinois law, a person convicted of a Class 4 felony can be sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison, up to 30 months of probation and a fine. A felony DUI conviction also could lead to the loss of full driving privileges for a minimum of 1 year.

In recent weeks, St. Clair County Circuit Judge Milton Wharton found there was probable cause to charge McCoy on the new charges and denied a defense motion to dismiss them. The next scheduled court hearing is Feb. 3 at the St. Clair County Building in Belleville.

Gerry is continuing his long, difficult recovery from the injuries, but he's hoping to be able to ride a specially made bike by next year. You can read more about Gerry's road to recovery at his CaringBridge site.

Labels: accidents, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 1 comments links to this post 2:18 PM

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Gerry Frierdich update: A mixed bag

I have good news and news that some may see as troublesome about my friend Gerry "Chief" Frierdich. I'll start with the good news, but I hope you'll read on about developments in the court case against the driver of the vehicle that struck Gerry's recumbent bike.

Pat Colle, of Jerseyville, Ill., was the winner of the second of two Bacchetta recumbent bicycles that were raffled off to raise money for Gerry's ongoing recovery. Gerry pulled Pat's name from a pool of hundreds of raffle tickets during a Feb. 7 mouse race benefit in Belleville. According to Gerry's CaringBridge site, Pat bought the winning ticket from me back in January during the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's Midwest Bike Expo & Swap Meet in Collinsville.

Congratulations, Pat! Have fun riding your recumbent on the backroads of Jersey County!

As regular readers of this blog know, Gerry was paralyzed from the chest down on Aug. 17, 2007, when his recumbent was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville. Gerry has made a lot of progress since then. The court case involving the person accused of driving the truck has not.

Keith Joseph McCoy, 24, was charged in late 2007 with two counts of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence, a felony charge in Illinois. The case has sat in St. Clair County Circuit Court with little action being taken since then. Hearings, including one that had been scheduled for today, continually have been delayed.

The hearing was rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 31 in Courtroom 409 of the St. Clair County Building in Belleville.

The only motion, other than routine motions for discovery information, that has been filed is one by McCoy's attorney, Richard Sturgeon, asking that McCoy's statements to Belleville police be suppressed. The motion contends that when police took a statement from McCoy immediately after the accident, that he was not advised of his constitutional right to remain silent, even though he was not free to leave the scene and that he was a suspect.

The motion also contends police made promises to McCoy to obtain a statement, but the motion does not detail the promises. To date, St. Clair County prosecutors have not filed a written answer to the motion.

Having covered the court system in Madison County back in the 1980s and early 1990s as a reporter and having first-hand experience with the system after the stabbing death of my brother, Wes, in 1996-97, I can say cases get delayed frequently for a variety of reasons.

While I'll continue reporting facts on the court case here, I really can't play the role of an advocate and voice opinions on an issue so close to home. While I avoid editing stories about Gerry as part of my job at the Belleville News-Democrat -- I'm much too close to Gerry and his fundraising efforts to edit the stories -- I still have to handle them as part of my role as a page designer. It's probably for the best that I stick to the facts here.

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, Gerry Frierdich, St. Clair County

Roger 1 comments links to this post 7:11 PM

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Around the horn ... again

Midwest Bicycle Expo and Swap Meet: I spent most of the morning and afternoon at the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's Midwest Bicycle Expo and Swap meet in Collinsville, Ill., pushing the Tour de Stooges and selling raffle tickets for a benefit for cyclist Gerry Frierdich. I'm happy to report that we sold nearly $400 worth of tickets for a Bacchetta recumbent bike that will be awarded Feb. 7!

I want to especially thank Mark Cockson, executive director of the Gateway Council of Hostelling International, who helped me sell tickets today. More importantly, I want to thank all of you who bought tickets or donated money for this most worthy cause!

I had my annual conversation with Brent Hugh, executive director of the Missouri Bicycle Federation. He talked about wanting to ride the Tour de Stooges as many of his cycling friends from the Kansas City area have done. I pointed out that it's only about an additional half-hour drive on U.S. 40 to get from Collinsville to Highland.

My longtime friend Doug Kaufman helped man the MoBikeFed booth, and I got to chat with some of my best friends from the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society, including Arlene Willmann, Thomas Carter, Tracy Hall, Charles Beil and David Weidler.

If that wasn't enough, I had nice chats with Karen Karabell and Carrie Zukoski of the St. Louis BikeFed and Amy Schmidt of Trailnet. All in all, a pleasant way to spend a Sunday!

Lance Down Under: Saturday night, I got done with my work at the Belleville News-Democrat early enough to watch the final two laps of the final stage of the Tour Down Under. Lance Armstrong finished 29th overall in the Tour Down Under, 49 seconds behind winner Allan Davis of Australia, but was satisfied with his ability to keep up with top riders after 3 1/2 years out of professional cycling.

“It’s given me a reassurance that I can still race because I’ve got to say, man, you never know. You’re out 3 1/2 years, you don’t know how the body deteriorates or gets older," Armstrong told The Associated Press. "It reassures me that I can work hard and do the right work and I think I can still race at the highest level.”

Next up for Armstrong is the Amgen Tour of California. Armstrong says he will riding in support of defending champion Levi Leipheimer, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if Armstrong provides some exicitng moments of his own.

Even in the Tour Down Under, Armstrong had his moment in the sun. On the next to last lap of the race, Armstrong found a burst of power and briefly took the lead. His move even had Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin all a-flutter, predicting that he could pull away and take the stage. Liggett and Sherwin often are wrong with their in-race predictions, including this one, but it was fun to hear them get excited about Armstrong again.

Social Networking Addiction: I'm not teaching this semester at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, but my addiction to social networking sites is keeping me away from this blog.

My primary addiction is Facebook. Not only do I have a page for me, but this blog has an application there. If that wasn't enough, I am the primary administrator for the Belleville News-Democrat's page there.

I have a MySpace page as well, but I rarely look at it. In my humble opinion, Facebook is so such much better and mature than MySpace. In the past few weeks, many of my old friends from Southwestern High School have made their way to Facebook and have managed to find me!

I'm also on Twitter, although most my posts there are headlines from this blog and from my Blip.fm page. As with Facebook, I'm also the primary administrator of the News-Democrat's Twitter page.

Blip.fm is my newest addiction. It's basically Twitter with music! You can find a wide range of song there, write a brief note about the song and creat your own playlist. Fun stuff. I'm trying to get a few other people addicted to it as well so I'm not alone!

Labels: Gerry Frierdich, Internet, Lance Armstrong, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:20 PM

Friday, January 23, 2009

Go to the Swap Meet and help Gerry Frierdich

If you're a cyclist and if you're in the St. Louis area this weekend, I definitely encourage you to attend the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's Midwest Bicycle Expo & Swap Meet at the Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Drive in Collinsville, Ill.

I'll be there in two roles. I will be at the Gateway Council of Hostelling International's booth pushing the Tour de Stooges (May 2 in Highland, Ill.) and other rides the Gateway Council will be putting on this year.

Secondly, I will be selling raffle tickets for the second of two Bacchetta recumbent bicycles being given away to benefit Belleville, Ill., cyclist Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, who was seriously injured in an August 2007 accident when his recumbent bike was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville.

I will be selling tickets at the Gateway Council's booth. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. I hope you'll look me up and buy some raffle tickets for a worthy cause. This will be one of the last chances to buy a ticket before Feb. 7, when the second recumbent will be awarded.

(NOTE: I'm grateful to Mark Cockson, executive director of the Gateway Council, for allowing me to sell tickets at the group's booth during the Swap Meet!)

Gerry himself is expected to draw the winning ticket during The Gerry Frierdich Benefit Mouse Races on Feb. 7 at Panorama Bowl, 200 South Belt West in Belleville. Tickets for the benefit at $15 in advance and $20 at the door and includes draft beer, soda, chips and pretzels. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and racing begins at 7 p.m.

I hope to see you in Collinsville on Sunday!

Labels: Gateway Council of Hostelling International, Gerry Frierdich, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:29 PM

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Friend of Gerry Frierdich earns well-deserved honor

Sandy Gore, the sparkplug behind fundraising efforts for injured recumbent cyclist and Belleville, Ill., portrait photographer Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, will be one of 12 people who will receive awards Thursday night at dinner held by The BASIC Initiative, a nonprofit group that works to bring community organizations together to collaborate on serving greater Belleville.

A story about the awards appears in today's Belleville News-Democrat. Needless to say, I was quite happy and surprised when I found out I was going to lay out a front page featuring Sandy and Gerry as the lead art.

I first met Sandy back in November 2007, shortly after the News-Democrat did a story about Gerry and mentioned her efforts to sell T-shirts to help out Gerry. Before that story was published, I had been thinking of ways on how the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society could help, but I wasn't quite sure whom I would have to contact to get the money to Gerry until I found out about Sandy.

From November through June 1 and beyond, I got hundreds of e-mails from Sandy concerning the ride, and she got hundreds of e-mails from me. Sandy's energy was contagious, and our group raised thousands of dollars for Gerry and drew more than 300 people on The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride, a healthy turnout for a first-time ride.

In a note to me today, Sandy confirmed what I already knew about her character:

"Roger, thank you very much for your kind words, but I'm just a small part of the big picture. I'm so proud of Chief for everything he has accomplished these last 14 months. ... All of us do such good things every day, from opening a door for someone to giving a smile to a passing stranger. Although we think these things are little, it means a lot to the recipient. Over these last 14 months, I've learned a great deal about myself and who I want to be. I've started doing things I have always thought about, but have never had the guts to follow through. Over the summer, I picked up the grocery store tab for a little old lady in line ahead of me. It was spur of the moment, and to say the least, she was shocked and very appreciative. Although I'll never know, my hope is that she was able to spend the money on something special for herself but, regardless, I hope it helped her out in some small way. It's up to us to take care of each other, day-in and day-out."

Although Gerry continues to improve, he still has a long ways to go. You can help. The Touring Cyclist bicycle shop in Fairview Heights and Bicycle World in Belleville are selling raffle tickets for a second Bachhetta recumbent bicycle, which will be awarded during a mouse race benefit for Gerry in February. Also, you still can donate to Gerry through Active.com.

Congratulations, Sandy, for all you've done to help Gerry through his difficult recovery!

Labels: Belleville, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 8:55 AM

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

First winner announced in Gerry Frierdich bike raffle

Congratulations to Diane Roche of St. Louis, the winner of the first of two Bacchetta Belandare recumbent bicycles that are being raffled off to raise money for Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, the Belleville, Ill., cyclist was was paralyzed from the chest down in August 2007 when his Bacchetta recumbent was struck by a pickup truck.

Diane's name was drawn Sunday at the Millstadt Biathlon, the first of two scheduled drawings.

Diane, shown here with Gerry outside her St. Louis home, was so excited because it means she can retire her old 10-speed bike.

As it turns out, Diane entered the raffle the day of The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride (June 1) while her fiance, Dewayne, rode all 50 miles of the long route through Belleville and the nearby communities of Paderborn, Floraville and Millstadt. When he returned to Central Junior High School in Belleville, the start and finish spot for the ride, Dewayne was met by Diane and their kids, Breana and Anthony, holding a sign that said, "We Love You Dad"

"In one way or another, Chief continues to create lasting memories for everyone around him," said Sandy Gore, one of the key organizers of the event. "By the time we left, hugs were flying like crazy. We sure do wish Diane, Dewayne and their family the very best and hope to see them again very, very soon!"

Those of you who bought tickets didn't win are still in the running for the second drawing, which will take place Feb. 7, 2009, at the Gerry's Mouse Race Benefit at Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville.

If you want to buy tickets for the second drawing, you may buy them at The Touring Cyclist bicycle shop in Fairview Heights or Bicycle World in Belleville. You also may contact Bud & Sandy Gore, 4gores@charter.net or 618-277-5129, or Jean Bauder, greyhoundz_2@yahoo.com or 618-624-4910, if you want to buy tickets. They are $5 each or three for $10.

If you want to make a donation for Gerry's long-term recovery, you may do so through Active.com.

As a member of the committee who helped organize the ride, we want to thank Bacchetta for donating the two recumbent bicycles for our raffle.

Labels: Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 3:53 PM

Sunday, June 01, 2008

KMOV-TV covers Road to Recovery Ride

KMOV-TV, Channel 4 -- the CBS affiliate in St. Louis -- covered The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Ride, which took place today in Belleville, Ill. You can view the story and video at KMOV.com.

The organizers of the event, including me, were happy that more than 300 cyclists and walkers showed up for the event and raised thousands of dollars for Gerry. We're still counting the money, so we hope to have a monetary figure soon.

I think 300 people is great for a first-time event. Many people asked us whether we plan to do the ride again next year. That's up in the air right now, but if we do so, we hope Gerry will be able to participate in the ride with a handbike.

We thank all of you who attended the ride or have shown their support for Gerry with donations or by purchasing raffle tickets for one of two Bacchetta recumbent bicycles donated by the company. You can get more details about both at http://www.chiefgetwell.com/roadtorecovery.htm.

Labels: Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:11 PM

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Gerry Frierdich in the news

Previews for The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride appeared this week in two Illinois papers.

Teri Maddox of Belleville News-Democrat wrote an excellent preview of the ride in Thursday's edition of the paper.

"I can't believe how many people are coming out of the woodwork to donate money to me," Gerry told the News-Democrat. "It's crazy."

Gerry hopes to get back on the road soon with a hand-powered bicycle or "handcycle." He sees the chances of getting into another accident as minimal.

"If I would have been out there 10 minutes earlier or 10 minutes later, (the August accident) wouldn't have happened," Gerry told the News-Democrat. "It was a guy who fell asleep at the wheel, and he just plowed into me. What can you do to avoid that? Nothing. You've got to get back on the horse, so to speak."

The St. Clair Journal, part of the Suburban Journals chain of newspapers in the St. Louis area, published a feature on Wednesday about the ride.

Reporter Aaron Sudholt did an interview with Gerry, in which he revealed that even though his neck was broken in the Aug. 19, 2007, accident, his spinal column was not completely severed and that the swelling in his neck may go down enough that he could walk again.

"I'm taking it day by day," he said. "I literally don't know what I'll be able to do. There's a possibility a year from now I could be walking, but I don't know."

That article also notes that Keith J. McCoy, 23, the man who drove the truck that struck Gerry, will be facing a pre-trial hearing June 19. McCoy is charged in St. Clair County Circuit Court with two felony counts of Aggravated Driving under the Influence.

(Note: This post is an update version of a post that originally appeared Wednesday, May 28.)

Labels: Belleville, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:45 AM

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride

We hope you're planning to attend The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery
Bicycle Ride (http://www.chiefgetwell.com/roadtorecovery.htm) this Sunday, June 1, at Central Junior High School, 1801 Central School Road in Belleville, Ill. Here's some last-minute details:

REGISTRATION: Online registration
(http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1532377) closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, May 29, but you can sign up the day of the ride at the school. Although there is no discount for registering early, it does ensure that you will get our T-shirt, which includes artwork by Signal Hill School student Louis Holm. The cost of the ride is $25 for adults, $15 for children 13-17 and $5 for children 5-12. Registration is from 7 to 10 a.m., and you may leave anytime from 8 to 10 a.m.

FREE HELMETS: The first 50 children ages 5-12 will receive free bicycle helmets! The helmets are being donated by the Columbia,Ill.-based Helmets First! program, which is led by Dr. Joseph Cangas of Illini Pediatrics. Helmets First!

ST. LOUIS REGIONAL BICYCLE FEDERATION: The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation will have a booth at our event to promote bicycle advocacy. We think it's appropriate for the group to be represented at a benefit ride for a seriously injured cyclist, and we hope the event will improve the group's visability in Illinois.

LIVE MUSIC AND KIDS ACTIVITIES: The bluegrass-country band Pick'n'likin will perform from 11:30 a.m.-1:30, and a rock 'n' roll cover band will play from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Lunch will be sold at a nominal cost. Non-riders are welcome to join us for lunch, the music and the opportunity to be with Gerry. Face painting, balloons and other entertainment will be available for kids.

USE METROLINK AND BIKE TO THE EVENT: With the price of gas the way it is, we know you want to save a few bucks when you can. It's a 3.1-mile bike trip (one-way) from the Belleville MetroLink station to Central Junior High School. After getting off MetroLink, take Scheel Street across Jackson Avenue. The name of the street then changes to Church Street. Take Church Street to East Main Street. Continue on East Main to the Veterans Memorial Fountain. At the fountain, turn south on South Illinois Street (Illinois Route 159) and take Illinois Street about 1.6 miles to Westhaven School Road. Turn left on Westhaven, and that will take you to the school. Here's a link to a map: http://snipurl.com/2awuy

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, bicycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:31 PM

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Ride

Just a reminder: There's still time to sign up for The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride on Sunday, June 1, at Central Junior High School in Belleville, Ill.

You can register for the ride in three ways. You can download the flier for the event and mail in your registration, but mail registrations must be postmarked by Friday, May 23. You can register online through Thursday, May 29, via Active.com (Active.com charges a small handling fee). You also can sign up the day for the ride.

If you can't come to the ride, you still can make a donation. You can make a donation online through Active Giving, or you can mail the donation to the Gerard Frierdich Trust Fund, c/o Bud & Sandy Gore, 2391 South 11th Street Road, Belleville, IL 62226.

Gerry has made considerable progress since the Aug. 19, 2007, accident -- Gerry's recumbent bicycle was struck by a pickup truck on South Greenmount Road in Belleville -- that left him paralyzed from the chest down. However, he still has a long way to go, and the proceeds from the event will help with his future medical needs and other necessities.

Nearly as impressive as Gerry's progress is the outpouring of support he has received from the Belleville and cycling communities. For example:

• Gerry rode a Bacchetta recumbent bicycle. Bacchetta donated not one, but two, recumbent bicycles for us to raffle. The winner of the first drawing will be announced in September at the Millstadt (Ill.) Biathlon, and the second will be awarded in February 2009. You can download the flier to find out how to buy a ticket, plus tickets will be available at various St. Louis-area events and at The Touring Cyclist shop in Fairview Heights, Ill. Keep in mind that winners from outside the St. Louis metropolitan area will be responsible for shipping and handling costs.
• Tom Egel, a cyclist from Ann Arbor, Mich., has taken up Gerry's cause. Tom plans on riding a century during this year's One Helluva Ride in Michigan, and he's set up a page at Active Giving to accept donations for Gerry. In about a week, Tom has raised more than $900 for Gerry! If you're motivated to raise money for Gerry in a similar fashion, I will be happy to help you set up a fundraising page. Just e-mail me at bike2eat@rogerkramercycling.org, and I will fill you in on the details.
• The organizers of The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride have obtained $13,000 in cash and in-kind sponsorships for the event. That will insure that all the money raised by the ride will go to Gerry. We are grateful for all the help we have received from businesses and individuals in the Belleville and St. Louis area!

Anything you can do help Gerry will be greatly appreciated!

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, bicycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:20 AM

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

New effort to help the Chief

Friends of Gerry Frierdich are making a push today to get the ABC reality show "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" to consider redoing Gerry's Belleville home as part of the show.

Gerry was paralyzed from the chest down in August 2007 when a pickup truck struck his recumbent bicycle on South Green Mount Road in Belleville. Friends of Gerry are putting on a benefit ride on June 1 in Belleville, The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride, and other events to raise money for future medical care and other necessities.

Here's the note I received today from Sandy Gore, one of Gerry's friends who is working extremely hard to raise money for him:

We (Sandy and her husband, Bud) received a call this morning that a casting person from Extreme Makeover Home Edition is in St. Louis today. She will be on KMOX during the Mark Reardon Show. Her interview is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. I have confirmed this information with the station.) From what I understand, Extreme Makeover is looking to do a show in the St. Louisarea for someone who may need help. ...


If you have a chance to listen to the show, please do so. If you can call in and refer Gerry Frierdich (aka Chief), please do so! Bud and I submitted an application to the show in late January, but maybe this is Chief's chance to stand out to get help. Extreme Makeover receives thousands of applications every year. There are a lot of folks out there who need help. Possibly if they hear Chief's name enough from callers, it'll spark an interest in his story and they would help him. ...

(UPDATE: The correct address to send nominations for Extreme Makeover is extremestl@gmail.com.)

Labels: Gerry Frierdich, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:53 PM

Sunday, March 09, 2008

'I wouldn't wish this on anyone'

On the same day that two cyclists were killed and another cyclist seriously injured when they were struck by a sheriff's patrol car near Cupertino, Calif., I had the opportunity to talk to a man whose life was changed forever by an accident.

As regular readers of this blog know, Gerry Frierdich of Belleville, Ill., was paralyzed from the chest down when his recumbent bicycle was struck by a pickup truck on Aug. 19, 2007. The group that's planning The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride met today to make plans for the June 1 ride, and Gerry was able to join us.

Not only did Gerry participate in a social way, he chose the winning design for the T-shirt that will be given to participants. Students at Signal Hill School in Belleville drew pictures, and the rest of the committee narrowed the field. Gerry made the final decision: a pencil drawing of a smiling, helmeted cyclist on a recumbent bicycle.

It's a simple drawing, drawn simply with a pencil, but it really does express Gerry's spirit.

The good news is that Gerry has made progress. He has considerably more motion in his arms and hands than he had two months ago when I last saw him, although he still has a long ways to go. Gerry spent many weeks in a hospital bed after the accident, and it takes time to rebuild muscle tone.

His long-term goal is to able to ride a hand cycle. Only time will tell whether he will be able to achieve that goal, but if anyone can do it, it's Gerry Frierdich.

Everything considered, his spirit is strong. He talked about the difficulty of climbing the Zingg Road hill north of Millstadt -- one of the most notorious hills for metro-east cyclists because of its steepness -- while riding a recumbent and hauling his golf clubs in a trailer.

"You just got to sit back in the seat and push hard," Gerry said of his secret of making it up that hill.

But one comment really struck me, especially since he said it twice during our conversation.

"I wouldn't wish this on anyone."

I'm certain that also includes the driver of the truck that struck him. The driver has been charged in St. Clair County Circuit Court with two counts of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence, a felony charge in Illinois. The case is pending.

As for the California accident, there's a wide range of comments on the San Jose Mercury-News and the San Francisco Chronicle stories as well as Fritz's Cyclelicious blog. I'm not going to jump to any conclusions here until more facts come out.

But one thing is certain: The lives of the survivors and the killed victims' families will be changed forever, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Labels: accidents, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:47 PM

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride

I'm pleased to announce that registration for The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride is now open!

The ride will take place Sunday, June 1, at Central Junior High School in Belleville, Ill. Registration will be from 7 to 10 a.m. The cost of the ride is $25 for adults, $15 for children 13-17 and $5 for children 5 and under. You can sign up in one of three ways:

• Through Active.com (Active.com charges a small processing fee)
• By mail, using this PDF form.
• You also can sign up the day of the ride.

If you're unable to attend the ride, but still want to make a donation, you can do so through Active.com.

In case you're not familiar about the story of Gerry Frierdich, Gerry was critically injured Aug. 19, 2007, when his recumbent bicycle was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville, Ill. The driver of the truck, Keith Joseph McCoy, has been charged in St. Clair County Circuit Court with two counts of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence, a felony charge in Illinois. The case is pending.

The accident left Gerry paralyzed from the chest down, and proceeds from the ride will be used to pay for Gerry's future medical care and other necessities.

Gerry, a Belleville native, is a 1977 Cathedral Grade School grad and a 1981 Althoff Catholic High School grad.

After high school, he remained in Belleville where, for more than 20 years, he worked as an award-winning Master Photographer with Crafty Eye Studio in Belleville. Gerry has earned the respect of others in his field as well as the thousands he has photographed. Gerry’s name, face and talent are known throughout Belleville and the surrounding communities. He has set the bar through his photography by his ability to capture the best in each and every one of us.

Before the accident, Gerry not only was a cyclist, he was an avid golfer, runner, boater, skier, snowboarder and archer.

In addition to seeking riders, we are seeking sponsors for the event. To learn more about the event, including sponsorship opportunities, visit the ride's Web site.

We hope you will be able to help out Gerry and spread the word.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, Gerry Frierdich, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:56 PM

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Chief is coming home!

Gerry "Chief" Frierdich is coming home today!

Gerry, the Belleville, Ill., recumbent cyclist and award-winning photographer critically injured in August 2007 when his bicycle was struck by a pickup truck, will return home after spending months at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis County and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Gerry is paralyzed from the chest down, and he has limited use of his arms. Friends of Gerry have been remodeling his home so it will be accessible to him.

I've been spending much of the week working on a poster and fliers for the event, hence the lack of posts this week. The work on the benefit ride, planned for May 31, is much more important than working on this blog.

In addition to the ride and other events in 2008, the Kiwanis Club of Fairview Heights will be putting on The Branson on the Road show April 11-12. If you purchase tickets with the form at the ChiefGetWell.com Web site, a portion of the proceeds will go to Gerry's trust fund.

As always, you can learn more about Gerry at the ChiefGetWell.com site.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:40 PM

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Chief's Road to Recovery

If you're looking for a bicycle ride for a good cause, keep Saturday, May 31, open for Chief's Road to Recovery bicycle ride in Belleville, Ill.

This is the benefit ride for Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, the Belleville recumbent cyclist and photographer critically injured Aug. 19 when he was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville.

Friends and family of Gerry, along with the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society and the Touring Cyclist store in Fairview Heights, Ill., met earlier today to start making plans for the ride. In the weeks to come, we will be seeking sponsorships from Belleville-area businesses to make the ride a success.

Also in the weeks to come, we will be setting up a Web page for the ride at the ChiefGetWell.com site, which provides updates about Gerry's recovery, and setting up online registration for the ride through Active.com. When both sites become operational, we'll post information here and other cycling Web sites to spread the word.

Gerry is making progress in his recovery at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, but there's still a long way to go. Gerry's unable to walk or ride a bike, but he is able to move his arms.

There's a strong possibility Gerry will return to Belleville this month. Proceeds from the ride will be used to help pay for his rehabilitation, renovations needed for his home and other expenses not covered by insurance.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:46 PM

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Gerry Frierdich shirts available at Touring Cyclist shop

The T-shirt that raising money for seriously injured Belleville, Ill., recumbent cyclist Gerry Frierdich is now available at the Fairview Heights Touring Cyclist shop at 101 Lanaghan Drive.

The shirt is being sold for $15 and is available in adult sizes S, M, L, XL and XL. For now, the shirt is only available at the Fairview Heights location of the St. Louis-based bicycle chain. Gerry was a frequent customer of the shop, and store manager Dawn Weber wants to do whatever she can to help Gerry. Dawn also is active in a committee of friends and family that is planning a benefit bicycle ride, which will be held either in May or June of 2008.

Here is a map showing the site of the Fairview Heights shop:

View Larger Map

Shirts also are available by contacting Sandy Gore, one of Gerry's friends. In addition to the adult sizes listed above, they are available in children's sizes S, M and L for $12. To place an order, contact Sandy at 4gores@charter.net or 618-277-5129. So that your order doesn’t get delayed, please specify the number of shirts and sizes. Payment will be due when your order is picked up. You can get more information about the shirt and Gerry at the Chief Get Well Web site.

Gerry was seriously injured Aug. 19 when his bicycle was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville. He has paralysis from the chest down. He can move his forearms, but has no fine motor movement in his hands. Gerry is undergoing therapy at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Labels: accidents, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:05 AM

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Tragic accident can't take away photographer's spirit

The Sunday edition of the Belleville News-Democrat has an extensive feature about Gerry "Chief" Frierdich, the Belleville photographer and recumbent cyclist seriously injured in an accident Aug. 19.

About 6:10 that morning, he was riding his bicycle on the shoulder of South Green Mount Road in Belleville when a pickup veered off and slammed into him.

Gerry doesn't remember the accident, according to the article by Sunday Magazine editor Maureen Houston. He woke about five weeks later, a quadraplegic. Cervical discs 6 and 7 in his spine suffered severe damage from the impact. Every ligament and tendon near the discs were torn.

He has paralysis from the chest down. He can move his forearms, but has no fine motor movement in his hands. His diaphragm is weak, but building his strength back will help him breathe easier, said his sister, Robyn Weilbacher.

Over the last couple of months, Gerry dealt with four broken ribs, a blood infection, pleursy, pneumonia, a collapsed lung, a traecheotomy, multiple infections, peripheral vision loss in his right eye, constant pain in his back and left arm, and a lot of wondering about the future.

"It's scary," Gerry told the News-Democrat. "You wake up and you just can't move. I'm taking it day by day. If I think about it too much, I get depressed."

On Thursday, Gerry was transported to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for up to a year of rehabilitation.

To raise money for his expensive treatment, friends of Gerry are selling the T-shirt shown at left. The shirts are $15 for adults (sizes S, M, L, XL and XL) and $12 for children (sizes S, M and L).
To place an order, contact Sandy Gore at 4gores@charter.net or 618-277-5129. So that your order doesn’t get delayed, please specify the number of shirts and sizes. Payment will be due when your order is picked up. You can get more information about the shirt and Gerry at the Chief Get Well Web site.

There is a strong probability the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society will help friends and family of Gerry put on a benefit ride in the spring of 2008.

To date, no charges have been filed against the driver of the pickup truck, but my understanding is that the case remains under investigation by the St. Clair County State's Attorney's office. It was only recently that investigators were able to speak to Gerry about the accident.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:56 AM

Friday, August 31, 2007

Gerry Frierdich update

Gerry Frierdich, the Belleville cyclist injured in an accident Aug. 19, remains in critical condition at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, Mo.

In addition to the injuries he suffered, he also was stricken with a form of pneumonia that has delayed needed surgery. The Belleville News-Democrat reported in its Friday editions that Gerry was expected to undergo surgery today (Aug. 31).

"We thank everybody for their prayers and concerns and thoughts," Gerry's sister, Mary Skees, told the News-Democrat.

Unfortunately, he is unable to see visitors, other than his family, but cards are greatly appreciated. The address is St. John's Mercy Medical Center, 615 S. New Ballas Road, St. Louis, MO 63141. You also can send words of encouragement by e-mail through the hospital's Web site.

Friends of Gerry also are planning to set up a Web site where people can post their get-well wishes and other messages. I will link to it as soon as I hear word that it's ready to go.

Charges still have not been filed in the accident. The Belleville Police Department told the News-Democrat that the accident remains under investigation.

(This is an update of an item originally posted Tuesday, Aug. 28.)

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:00 AM

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Metro-east cyclist hurt in accident

Award-winning photographer Gerry Frierdich is in critical condition after he was hit by a pickup truck Sunday morning while riding his recumbent bicycle, the Belleville News-Democrat reported today.

Gerry, who works at Crafty Eye Photography in Belleville, has ridden frequently with the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society.

Gerry was riding south in the 600 block of South Green Mount Road at 6:10 a.m. when Keith Joseph McCoy, of St. Charles, Mo., hit him from behind, according to Belleville police, the News-Democrat reported.

Keith McCoy, 23, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado, apparently fell asleep behind the wheel, Belleville police Sgt. Dennis Weisbrodt said. McCoy's twin brother, Kenneth, was a passenger in the truck and also fell asleep.

Gerry, 44, was taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville and he was later airlifted to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, Mo.

Weisbrodt said the accident is still under investigation and Keith McCoy has not been charged.

Gerry and I worked together for a brief time in the 1990s at the News-Democrat. Gerry worked in our pre-press department, putting together the pages that people in my department designed.

Gerry took great pride in altering a child trailer so that it would carry golf carts, and he often rode his recumbent to his regular golf games.

My thoughts and prayers are with Gerry.

Labels: accidents, Belleville, cycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 9 comments links to this post 4:38 PM