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PEORIA, Maricopa County, Ariz., Oct. 15, 2026 — A 52-year-old man died early Tuesday morning, October 13, after a vehicle struck him while he was riding a bicycle near 75th Avenue and Shangri La Road in Peoria, according to the Peoria Police Department. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers were called to the area around 12:30 a.m. and found the cyclist with fatal injuries, police said.
A preliminary investigation found that Blessen was riding on 75th Avenue when he was hit by a car traveling southbound, according to the department. The driver stayed at the scene after the crash, investigators said.
Police said impairment is not believed to have played a role in the crash. The Peoria Police Department's Vehicular Crimes Unit is continuing to investigate exactly what led up to the collision.
We offer our deepest sympathy to the family of the victim.
Why Nighttime Bicycle Crashes Turn Deadly on City Streets
Darkness changes the math on a road shared by cars and bicycles. A driver's ability to spot a cyclist drops sharply after dusk, especially on wide arterial streets like 75th Avenue where vehicles move at higher speeds and bike lighting or reflective gear may be limited or absent. By the time a motorist registers a rider ahead, there is often little distance left to react.
Speed is the other half of the equation. A bicycle offers no structure to absorb a crash the way a car's frame does, so even an impact at moderate speed can cause injuries that prove fatal. Where a car-on-car collision might mean a dented bumper, a car striking a cyclist directly transfers that force to the rider's body.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 49,989 pedalcyclists were injured in traffic crashes in 2023. Late-night and early-morning hours, when visibility is lowest and traffic enforcement presence is thinner, are a recurring factor in the crashes that turn fatal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does impairment usually factor into fatal cyclist crashes?
It can, but not always. Investigators typically test for alcohol or drug use in both drivers and cyclists, though many fatal crashes, including ones where impairment is ruled out early, still result in death because of speed, timing, or visibility.
Where do these crashes most often happen?
Fatal cyclist crashes cluster on arterial roads with higher speed limits, especially where there's limited lighting, few marked bike lanes, or wide intersections that require cyclists to cross multiple lanes of traffic.
What makes a crash more likely to be fatal for a cyclist?
Vehicle speed at the moment of impact is the biggest factor. Higher speeds leave drivers less time to brake or swerve and increase the force transferred to the cyclist on contact.
What to Do After a Bicycle Crash in Peoria, AZ
If you witness or are involved in a bicycle collision, call 911 immediately and stay at the scene until police arrive. Even if injuries seem minor at first, a medical evaluation is important, since some injuries, especially head trauma, aren't immediately obvious.
Make sure to get the names and contact information of any witnesses, and if it's safe to do so, take photos of the scene, the vehicle, and the bicycle before anything is moved. File a formal police report, since this becomes the official record investigators and insurers rely on. If you're a cyclist in Peoria, consider using lights and reflective gear whenever riding at night or in low-visibility conditions.
