Vehicle Believed Involved in Death of county bicyclist has been found

Wed May 30 2012
Posted May 24, 2012
3,965

By Bill Haglund
Editor
Dallas County News

Investigation continues this week into the death of
67-year-old Edward Giedraitis, killed during a bicycle ride
along 270th Street late Saturday night.

A vehicle suspected of hitting Giedraitis' bicycle has been
located, Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard said Monday.

According to Leonard, Giedraitis, who resided in Dallas
Center, reportedly decided to go for a bicycle ride about
9:45 p.m. Saturday after the wind had died down.

When he hadn't returned by 2 a.m., authorities were notified.

Michelle Leonard, Dallas Center Police Chief, alerted the
Sheriff's Department and a search by both police and
sheriff's deputies was made, especially around bike trails
in the area.

"We learned later that Giedraitis did not normally ride on
the trails," Chad Leonard said. "A search team was organized
Sunday morning and his body was found."

The team included the Dallas County Sheriff's Department,
Dallas Center Police Department and the Dallas Center Fire
and Rescue Department.

Fire Department personnel found the body shortly after the
search began, Chad Leonard said.

The Iowa State Patrol has joined in the investigation.

Chad Leonard said the suspect vehicle was found after
authorities received a tip from the public.

"The individual said he believed he had hit a deer," Chad
Leonard said. "When our deputies checked the vehicle,
however, it was pretty obvious that it had not been a deer
that was hit by the vehicle.
"We now have the suspect vehicle in our shop and details of
our investigation have been turned over to the Dallas County
Attorney."

Leonard said a short strip of bicycle tire marks is believed
to be the point of impact near the right shoulder of the
road. Giedraitis' body was found approximately 117 feet down
the roadway and was lying in the ditch.

The incident occurred in the 25000 block of 270th Street, a
paved portion of that roadway about three miles southwest of
the Dallas Center city limits.

Giedraitis is the latest of several bike riders who have
been killed in Dallas County in recent years.

Recent deaths included a rider killed west of Adel where the
bicycle trail crossed P58, and another at the intersection
of 270th Street and R16 when a vehicle struck a bicycle
rider headed to work.