The Council Bluffs police and fire departments were dispatched to South 35th and 14th avenues around 6:05 a.m.

Bicyclist David Ryder, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle that struck him had left the scene.

Police said that nearly an hour after the crash, the driver of the vehicle, Stephanie Kenealy, 28, returned.

"She did say that she was scared and shook up," Sgt. Jason Bailey said. "But that was about the only thing she said."

Police brought her in for questioning and eventually charged her with leaving the scene of a fatality crash.

John Urzendowski, an employee of True Wheel Bicycle Company, said he didn't know Ryder, but he does know how dangerous collisions can be.

"Me on my bike weighs no more than 200 pounds total," Urzendowski said. "And so that's nothing going up against a pickup truck or something like that."

He said 6 a.m. can be a dangerous time to ride, and the area where the crash occurred can make it hard for drivers to see cyclists.

"Only because he was going under a railroad pass, and it was on a two-lane, and it was at about 6 a.m.," Urzendowski said. "The sun hasn't come up yet, and you're dealing with some significant fog right there."

Council Bluffs police said fog wasn't an issue, but rain was.Ryder wasn't wearing a helmet, but did have a light on the back of his bicycle.

ForUrzendowski, he said every safety precaution is important for everyone on the road.

"Know the rules of the road, whether you're riding them or driving them,"Urzendowski said. "Be proactive, you know, as far as safety is concerned."

"Walk in a room, he'd light up the room," said Sue Ryder, David's sister. "People just gravitated to him."

Whether he was giving a stranger a ride home or giving someone his last dollar, David Ryder's family said friendship came easy to him.

"He made people feel like they knew him forever," Sue Ryder said. "He was that kind of a guy."

Sue Ryder said David Ryder struggled with his health. He was diagnosed as diabetic, living with Parkinson's disease, and two years ago, an emergency heart surgery saved his life.

"The doctor said he got a second chance at life," Sue Ryder said. "And Dave took that and ran with it. He made the best of these last two years, I guarantee that."

"For him to go like this was the furthest thing from our mind. A lot of people are going to miss Dave. He was a good guy."

Sue Ryder woke up with police at her front door.

"I cried the rest of the time," Sue Ryder said. "Just listened to what they had to say about the scene."

As the investigation unfolded, Sue Ryder came to realize that she knows Kenealy, her daughter's childhood friend.

"I just hope Stephanie understands that we're all going to get through this," Sue Ryder said. "We know it was an accident. Things happen. That may have been God's way."

Kenealy's driving record indicates that she spent time in jail for driving with a suspended license, speeding and other violations.

The case is still under investigation, and more charges are possible.

Crash Date: Sept 8th 2015

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