Sad day

A friend died last night.

Motorcyclist dies on South Side

DAVID L. TEIBEL
Tucson Citizen

A Tucson motorcylist was killed Wednesday on the Southwest Side
when a car turned left in front of him.

Investigators have not
determined whether the two vehicles collided or whether Mark Mitchell, 39, laid
his motorcyle down to avoid a collision, Tucson police Sgt. Kerry Fuller said.

Mitchell was driving north on South 12th Avenue near West Nebraska
Street about 4:40 p.m. when the driver of a southbound brown subcompact car
turned left to go east on Nebraska, she said.

The car driver left
the scene, but may not know what happened, Fuller said, adding the motorist may
not face criminal charges in the death.

Fuller asked anyone
knowing anything about the fatality call the county attorney's anonymous tipster
program at 88-CRIME or 911.

Work has been hard today. Mark was someone I worked with for many years and is one of the few people that I have socialized with outside of work (lunches, BBQ's). I remember him being all dressed up for an interview yesterday. Sadly I did not talk to him yesterday.

More news has surfaced that says that this accident is no longer looking like a hit-n-run. One thing I find strange about this new news report is that it states he was not wearing a helmet. I find that strange because he was wearing one when I saw him the other morning and every other time I have seen him ride.

Fatal accident likely not hit-and-run

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

A fatal motorcycle accident Wednesday afternoon likely was not a
hit-and-run crash, police said Thursday morning.

There is no
evidence that a brown car seen driving away from the accident crashed into the
motorcycle, or that the driver ever even saw the motorcyclist, said Officer Lisa
Peasley, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman.

Mark Kevin
Mitchell, 39, was riding his motorcycle north on South 12th Avenue near West
Nebraska Street when a brown car heading south turned left in front of him.
Mitchell may have panicked and laid down the bike, Peasley said. Someone flagged
down an officer around 4:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Mitchell, who was not
wearing a helmet, died at a hospital. Police have not yet found the driver of
the brown car.

The accident still is under investigation. Anyone
with information may call 911 or 88-CRIME, the anonymous tip line of the Pima
County Attorney's Office.