A driver struck and killed a B.C. runner participating in a Ragnar relay race on Whidbey Island in Washington State early Saturday morning (July 12).
At 3:31 a.m. on Saturday, an Island County deputy responded to a call regarding a serious injury to a pedestrian in a collision with a vehicle, according to Washington State Patrol Trooper Brad Tulloch. The collision occurred on Highway 20 and Frostad Road.
The runner, 55-year-old Hui Li from Surrey, strayed outside the 鈥渄esignated racing area鈥� for Ragnar runners and into the southbound lane, according to Tulloch. There, a 41-year-old driver struck him with her vehicle. Li was transported to Harborview Medical Center, where he later passed away.
A witness told a deputy that Li was standing in the lane of vehicle travel and distracted while messing with his equipment, according to Detective Ed Wallace with the Island County Sheriff鈥檚 Office.
The driver did not sustain injury. She was cooperative when troopers arrived on the scene, Tulloch said, and submitted to a voluntary blood test typical in the aftermath of fatality collisions 鈥� troopers did not suspect her to be impaired. The press release concluded that drugs and alcohol were not involved.
Additionally, the vehicle sustained 鈥渞eportable damage,鈥� which is damage typically worth over $1,000, Tulloch said.
As the cause of the fatality is listed as a pedestrian violation in the press release, Olivaresnaves does not currently face charges.
鈥淭he Ragnar Events team is heartbroken to learn that one of our participants tragically passed away following an incident during the run portion of the Ragnar Road Northwest Passage event,鈥� the group said in a statement released Monday evening. 鈥淲e have been in touch with the family and extend our deepest condolences to them, their teammates and friends. The weight of this tragedy is deeply felt throughout our organization and the wider running community.鈥�
Per their statement, Ragnar Events will not be providing further details about the incident but is 鈥渨orking with local authorities as they continue their ongoing investigation.鈥�
Ragnar relays are held across the country and span about 310 kilometres. The lengthy races are meant to be completed over two days, including overnight, per Ragnar鈥檚 website. On July 11 and 12, runners participated in the Northwest Passage race, which stretches from Blaine to Langley, Wash., a distance of about 310 kilometres.
