Snellville Man Strikes, Kills Cyclist

Paul Taylor may have been on the pavement, not his bike, , the truck driver told Decatur police.

According to the accident report released Tuesday, pickup driver Jorge Mercado-Perez, 57, of Snellville "stated the bicyclist appeared to be kneeling in the roadway as if he had fallen."

Decatur police Capt. Scott Richards said Tuesday there are no witnesses to the accident. No charges have been filed, Richards said, but the investigation is not finished.

Other than the name of the driver and the statement about Taylor not being on the bike, the report reveals few new details about .

The collision happened at 6:23 a.m. Monday on North Decatur Road just west of the intersection with Willivee Drive.

The report states Taylor's GT Series 3 bike and Mercado's 2004 Ford Ranger truck were both in the inside, eastbound lane of North Decatur Road.

The truck was traveling east and the bike was headed southbound, according to the police report. The section of the report on "vehicle maneuvers" states the bike had stopped in the roadway.

The report indicates emergency medical services arrived at 6:28 a.m., and the ambulance arrived at the hospital at 7:05 a.m. Taylor was pronounced dead at .

Mercado could not be reached for comment.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at for Taylor a physician's assistant, volunteer soccer coach and triathlete.

(Editor's Note: This article first appeared on .)