Cyclist dies in Highway 12 accident in Sonoma

A Sonoma man, bicycling north on Highway 12, died Wednesday morning after colliding with an automobile near Madrone Road, according to the Napa California Highway Patrol.

The fatal accident occurred around 9:10 a.m. on Nov. 6.

When first responders arrived at the scene, David Davison, 79, was lying in the roadway and his mountain bike was thrown to the side of the road. A 1997 Ford Mustang with a damaged front end and windshield also was stopped nearby, Sean Lacy, acting battalion chief with the Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue Authority, told the Press Democrat on Wednesday.

Davison appeared to be heading to or from work, said CHP Officer Marc Renspurger. he was wearing no bike helmet but had on work boots and work clothes.

The accident occurred when the cyclist collided into the right side of the Ford Mustang and was thrown from his bike, according to the CHP collision report.

Several drivers stopped, some blocking the man’s body from traffic, which quickly backed up on the highway.

Sonoma Valley firefighters ruled the accident a fatality at the scene and called for the Sonoma County Coroner’s Office. The 74-year-old driver, Sparrow Brazil, of Sonoma, did not have any significant injuries. He stayed at the scene and was not charged, according to the CHP. The collision report noted that neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be factors in the accident.

Eris Weaver, executive director of the nonprofit Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition. said that there is both a very high collision rate in Sonoma County and a high fatality rate.

“I’ve ridden up Highway 12 myself and it’s pretty darn scary,” she said. “I know that there’s been a plan in the works to make some changes to the road but I sure would like to see them happen faster.”

Wednesday’s death was the county’s third in two weeks involving men with bikes - two of them age 79 and one 89, according to the CHP.

With additional reporting by Randi Rossman and Nashelly Chavez.