Cyclist who died Tuesday on Highway 12 identified
The bicyclist who died Tuesday in a collision on Highway 12 about six miles outside Oakville has been identified.
The cyclist was Christopher C. McLaughlin, 49, of Oakville, according to Washington State Patrol. His identity was not released previously while the Grays Harbor Coroner’s Office notified his next of kin.
Coroner Robert Kegel told The Olympian Friday that the King County Medical Examiner’s Office would be completing an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.
McLaughlin was biking west on Highway 12 just before 8 p.m. Tuesday when he was struck by the front passenger side of a 2004 Toyota Tacoma pickup driving the same direction near milepost 28, according to a Washington State Patrol press memo.
Two Elma men in the pickup were not injured and the pickup was driven from the scene, according to the memo. The roadway was completely blocked for about 3 1/2 hours because of the crash.
McLaughlin was not wearing a helmet. Details such as the speed of the pickup and whether any charges are being considered against the pickup’s driver were not available Friday, Trooper Chelsea Hodgson told The Olympian, because the investigation is ongoing.
“With tragedies such as these, the investigation often takes a longer length of time to complete,” Hodgson wrote in a text message. “As an agency, we want to be as thorough and accurate as possible for the sake of those whose lives are lost, as well as to provide an accurate account of the incident for the grieving families.”
This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 9:27 AM.
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