Ride of Silence

The Ride of Silence is an internationally observed ride taking place the 3rd Wednesday of May and starting at 7PM. This is a silent and slow paced ride to HONOR those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways, to RAISE AWARENESS that we are here, and to ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD. You can find more information about our local Peoria Ride of Silence event through our Event Calendar or our Facebook Page.

Below is a list of known cycling deaths for our area. If you are aware of any corrections to this list or additional names to be added to added, please let us know at info@bikepeoria.org.

  1. Diane Ziegler-Matuska, 34, who was killed by a van while commuting back home from work in Bartonville on April 8th, 1986.
  2. Rev. Thomas Triebel, 34, who was killed by a drunk driver in North Peoria on May 6th, 1988
  3. Aaron Benjamin Graves was riding his bicycle in Elmwood IL when he was hit and killed by a truck on July 25th 1990.
  4. Jessie ‘Jay’ Jackson Jr, 47, who was killed by a speeding minivan while training on for a triathlon on Route 90 near Princeville on February 28th, 2006.
  5. Dave Tomlinson, 56, of Cuba, who was killed by a SUV during a hit & run near Colona, CO while doing a bike tour on July 10th, 2008.
  6. Christopher Bobinski-Curtis, 37, who was killed by a charter bus on his way home in E. Peoria on June 23rd, 2014.
  7. Dillon Fisher, 13, who was killed by a pick-up truck while riding home in Peoria Heights on November 13th, 2014.
  8. Mark Stahl, 60 was struck by a pickup truck that ran a red light while he was crossing Knoxville Avenue on his bicycle at the Forest Hill intersection on July 24th, 2020. He died later that day in the hospital.
  9. Corey D. Griffin, 33, of West Peoria died after being struck by an SUV which failed to completely stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Kellog and Waverly in West Peoria on June 7th, 2021.
  10. Troy Erving, 10, of Peoria died after being announced brain dead from a hit and run collision while riding his bike on NE Glen Oak Avenue near NE Starr Terrace. The accident occurred November 9th, 2021. The driver of the truck who was was later found, arrested, and sentenced to jail time had a history of traffic and drug charges.
  11. Michael Verchimak, 56, of Peoria Heights, was riding a bicycle along Historic Route 66 when he was hit and killed by a car near County Road 2250 N, just south of Atlanta, IL on April 23rd, 2022.
  12. Shelly Perry, 67, was biking west through the intersection of N. Bradley Ave and Sycamore St when a minivan traveling south failed to stop at the stop sign and struck Perry in the intersection on August 5th, 2022. Perry was dragged under the vehicle for about 20 ft before it stopped and had to be extricated by emergency responders. She was transported to OSF Hospital in critical condition but her condition deteriorated and she died.
  13. 28 year old Akeem Alexander was pronounced dead on the scene of a hit and run accident on August 28th, 2023 at the intersection of W. Howett and S. Western. He sustained multiple blunt-force trauma injuries when the vehicle hit him on his bicycle.
  14. 51 year old Hollywood producer and native of Peoria, Bob George, was struck and killed by a car while riding his bicycle on Fountain Ave in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA on October 17th, 2023.