In 2016, Amanda Phillips was tragically killed in a bike accident in Inman Square, Cambridge, where she was found after colliding with a landscaping truck.
The death of Amanda Phillips shook the community and sparked a conversation about cyclist safety. The investigation findings concluded that the crash was unavoidable based on various factors, including a visibility study and other efforts.
However, from a broader perspective, the finding may not be accurate, according to Nathanael Fillmore. Phillips was a beloved community member and avid cyclist who spent much of her free time exploring the city on her bike.
Where Was Amanda Phillips Found?
Amanda Phillips was found in Inman Square, Cambridge, on June 23, 2016. She was riding her bike on the sidewalk before heading to the street behind a 1999 Jeep Cherokee parked in a marked space on Cambridge Street.
At that moment, the driver of the Jeep was getting out of the car, and Phillips’ bike struck the opening door, sending her into the path of a landscaping truck being driven by a 66-year-old Woburn man.
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The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office investigated Amanda Phillips’ death, State Police Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Section, Cambridge Police Department, and Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section.
The investigation findings were released in a report, which concluded that this crash was unavoidable based on various factors, including the reconstruction of the collision, a visibility study and other efforts.
The report stated that the Jeep owner was likely unable to see Amanda Phillips in the roadway before opening the door. After that, Amanda Phillips likely would not have seen the open door from where she’d been on the sidewalk.
There was no evidence that the truck driver was speeding during the crash or operating illegally otherwise.
“Based on the way Amanda Phillips entered the roadway and that the rear tires of the car struck her, the truck operator could not have avoided the crash,” investigators said. “The collision with the landscaping truck was unavoidable.”
Bicyclists are allowed on sidewalks outside business districts when necessary in the interest of safety. Based on the investigation, Phillips may have been visible to other persons had she been riding her bicycle consistently in the rightmost travel lane.
Amanda Phillips Death And Obituary
Amanda Phillips was a beloved community member and a longtime barista at Diesel Cafe in Somerville’s Davis Square. She was also studying at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions at the time of her death.
Many mourned her passing, and her obituary painted a picture of a vibrant and kind-hearted individual. In her obituary, Amanda Phillips was described as a lover of animals, the outdoors, and adventure.
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She was an avid cyclist who spent much of her free time exploring the city on her bike. She was known for her infectious laugh, big heart, and unwavering dedication to her friends and family.
Amanda Phillips’s death profoundly impacted the community, and her passing sparked conversations about the safety of cyclists on city streets. Her accident helped speed changes to road infrastructure throughout Cambridge.
The finding that the fatal crash was unavoidable might be factual from a criminal justice perspective, but is false from a broader perspective, said Nathanael Fillmore of the Cambridge Bike Safety group.
