BikeSafeSanAntonio

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Joseph Novotny – July 2009

Joseph Novotny, 44, of Stevenson Ranch, CA formerly of Minneapolis, MN, was lost on July 11, 2009 when he was struck by an allegedly drunk driver while riding with the Santa Clarita Velo bicycling group. Joseph was riding on Bouquet Canyon Road with a group of other riders Saturday morning. A pickup truck driving in the opposite direction crossed over the double yellow line and struck three cyclists, then continued on his way without stopping.

Joe Novotny’s friends in the Santa Clarita Velo cycling club thought of him as a leader. Right after he joined, Novotny seemed to defer to the club’s veteran members, happy to sit back and let them set the pace. But soon Joe showed his comfort at the head of the pack, a 140-pound powerhouse pulling a line of brightly clothed riders up a hill. “I told him, ‘The only way I recognize you anymore is by the back side of you,’ ” said Bob Santaella, another member of Santa Clarita Velo. Joe is survived by his loving wife of six years, Jill Kantos, and their dog, Foxy.

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