UPDATE:
Today those closest to Dereck Klopfenstein posted the following online on Caring Bridge:
"At 6:20 this morning, Dereck Klopfenstein crossed the finish line and went home. You ran a good race, Dereck. Thank you all for your prayers and support during this time."
Klopfenstein was critically injured earlier this month while biking in St. Joseph County. Those who knew Klopfenstein were familiar with his commitment to running and cycling in his free time.
WVPE'S Tony Krabill is a friend of the Klopfenstein family. Tony shared that Klopfenstein was an Ironman athlete. He had competed in a "Half-Ironman" earlier this year in Madison and was training for another one in Traverse City. Plus he had plans to compete in an entire Ironman competition in Louisville.
Klopfenstein was 49 years old at the time of the crash.
The St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office says the following regarding the status of the investigation into the crash:
"The county's Fatal Accident Crash Team investigation is still on-going. As such, no arrests have been made nor any criminal charges filed in connection with this investigation. When the FACT investigation is complete it will be forwarded to a deputy prosecutor for review."
ORIGINAL POST:
The St. Joseph County Fatal Accident Crash Team issued the following release:
St. Joseph County –Yesterday at approximately 5:30 p.m., St. Joseph County Police Department officers were dispatched to the 11000 block of Pierce Road, Madison Township, in reference to an injury crash with a motor vehicle and a bicycle.
A Jeep driven by a 30 year old female was traveling westbound on Pierce Road and collided with the rear of a bicycle.
Evidence at the scene of the crash indicated that the bicyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of impact and was riding on the roadway, in the appropriate lane, and approximately one foot inside the white line at the time of the crash. The helmet came off during the event.
The St. Joseph County Fatal Crash Team (FACT) was activated, per protocol, to handle the investigation.
The bicyclist, identified as Dr. Dereck Klopfenstein, DVM, 49, of Goshen, IN, was airlifted to the hospital with a serious head injury. At the last update, he remained in the hospital in critical condition. The driver of the Jeep was uninjured and cooperated with investigators.