Candlelight vigil tonight for cyclist killed in Kensington

    The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia will hold a candlelight vigil tonight for the cyclist killed Friday by a driver in Kensington.

    Gregory Loper, 49 years old and the father of 11 children, was struck by a driver Friday night near Lehigh Avenue and Jasper Street. The driver who hit him, 22-year-old Brett Truskin of Warminster, was charged with a DUI earlier in the week and again faces DUI charges for Loper’s death.

     

    At 5:30 p.m. at Lehigh and Jasper, the BCGP will install a ghost bike and encourage those at the vigil to support HB 208 to increase the penalties to drunk drivers who flee the scene of a crash.

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    “This is such a tragedy. He was just riding in a bike lane for a quick trip to the store. I think we can all see ourselves, or our fathers or sons, in that position, and that is what makes it so deeply affecting,” BCGP Executive Director Alex Doty said in a release. “If we can make everyone more aware of the importance of safely sharing the roads, and do what we can to stop drunk and hit-and-run drivers, we can prevent tragedies like this from happening.”

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