Bryan Wrigley remembered during Monday ride

Historic City News reported in April 2011, that a 23-year-old University of St Augustine student, Bryan B Wrigley, had been killed in a hit-and-run crash as he was riding his bicycle along West King Street. He will be remembered during an annual bike parade, held in his honor, on Monday April 14th, 5:30 p.m.; leaving from the parking lot of Rita’s Ice at St Augustine Beach.

Heather Neville, Executive Director of Velo Fest Community Initiative, remembers that Wrigley came to St Augustine for school from West Columbia, South Carolina. He soon joined a local bicycle riding club. Wrigley was killed in a hit-and-run crash that occurred on April 13, 2011, and is still unsolved.

“The outpouring of emotion for Bryan sparked the creation of Velo Fest,” Neville told local reporters. “The deaths of Christian, Randy, Hailey, Tiger Joe, Shawn, and too many more names to list; sustain us in our mission to educate and promote awareness of bicycle safety.”

The City of St. Augustine Beach Police Department will be available for helmet fittings and A1A Cycle Works will have raffles and offer some “Bike Maintenance 101”. The police escorted, 1.3 mile ride, will travel both on the road and sidewalks. Riders of all ages are welcome to join us.

Velo Fest invites the community to join together; not in sorrow, but in memorial, and in hopes that we can work together to create a safer community for everyone.

“Certain things are changing for the better in our community; but, the number of cyclists and pedestrians who are killed and injured continues to rise,” Neville said. “We cannot ignore that the problem exists and affects us all.”

Velo Fest Community Initiative, is a 501(c)3 charitable non-profit organization that promotes awareness of bicycle safety, healthy lifestyles through cycling activities, environmental enhancements for safe cycling, historical and cultural awareness, and the economic impact that cycling brings communities through tourism and transportation. More information can be found on our website.