SEATTLE — The family of Seattle school teacher Christian Salyer has filed a lawsuit against waste management company Recology and one of its drivers after Salyer was hit and killed while riding his bicycle.
The incident happened on June 1 at 12th Avenue and Yesler Way in Seattle.
According to the suit and witnesses, Salyer was riding south alongside the Recology garbage truck when the vehicle made a right turn and hit him.
Salyer later died from his injuries.
He taught at Thurgood Elementary in Seattle and worked as a music coach, according to Spencer Lucas, the attorney representing the family.
Lucas said that surveillance video shows the truck driver did not signal or slow down before striking Salyer.
Lucas noted that the crash occurred on a day of family significance.
“On June 1st was the day that Christian’s sister gave birth to her first son and sadly, that was the day that Christian was struck and killed by this trash truck,” Lucas said.
The attorney described Salyer as an educator and musician in the community.
“He was an extremely intelligent and artistic man,” Lucas said. “He was an amazing guitarist, a pianist, and a songwriter. And not only was he a teacher at Thurgood Elementary in Seattle, but he was also a music coach and teacher to many young students.”
Sanjay Bhadu runs a business across the street from the intersection of 12th Avenue and Yesler Way, and told KIRO 7 that he saw the aftermath of the crash on his shop’s security footage.
Bhadu noted the intersection’s layout, mentioning that it has undergone a lot of work and changes in order to manage traffic.
“The city has done everything it can do,” Bhadu said.
Bhadu says he shared the video with legal representatives before it was deleted from his system.
“You can see the truck coming straight and the biker coming parallel to it, and the truck suddenly makes a right turn,” Bhadu said. “It was very heartbreaking and unfortunate.”
Anna Naughton, a driver who travels through the area regularly, commented on the intersection conditions.
“This is a place that can get kind of stressful because people are in a rush,” Naughton said.
She noted that traffic dynamics create challenges for both drivers and cyclists.
“Sadly, [I’m] never that surprised when a cyclist gets hit by a car, because it’s a combo of some drivers not looking out for cyclists and some cyclists being rather bold,” Naughton said.
The Salyer family declined to appear on camera and asked the firm they hired not to release the surveillance video of the incident.
Family members and members of Seattle’s bike community have visited the site, leaving messages to Salyer on a street pole adorned with a memorial bike.
When asked for comment on the suit, Recology responded with: “Recology cannot comment on pending litigation.”