A Bloomington physician died Aug. 11 when a car ran a red light, police said, and struck him as he rode his bicycle in Lawrence County.
Dr. Mark A. Dayton, 70, a cancer treatment specialist at IU Health Hematology & Oncology in Bloomington, died at the scene of the 1 p.m. accident at the Judah intersection at Ind. 37 and Old Ind. 37.
The crash site is 15 miles south of Bloomington where the Johnny Junxions service station is located. Dayton lived near Lake Monroe in southern Monroe County.
Bloomington North Rotary Club members mourned his loss. Dayton was an 18-year member, and spoke at two meetings in the past year discussing the state of America’s healthcare system during the Biden and Trump administrations.
“We are so privileged to have known Dr. Mark Dayton,” the Rotary Club said in a statement. “His impact is immeasurable in our community. Please honor his commitment to peace, health, education, and social justice.”
A preliminary police report indicates a 26-year-old Mitchell man driving a 2012 Chrysler 200 south on Ind. 37 drove through a red light at the busy intersection. The report said witnesses reported Dayton was riding west on Old Ind. 37 and had the green light as he was crossing the 4-lane highway.
The driver, who was uninjured in the Monday afternoon crash, submitted to a blood draw to test for the presence of alcohol or drugs, standard procedure in a fatal traffic accident, a report said.
An Indiana State Police accident reconstruction expert was at the scene to investigate circumstances of the crash as the investigation continues.
The official accident report had not been filed with the state before the deadline for this story.
Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington doctor Mark Dayton killed when hit by a car while riding his bicycle
Reporting by Laura Lane, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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