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Man dies after driver strikes cyclists during race in Show Low

JEREMY BARRETT
Show Low Incident.jpg
Posted at 12:10 PM, Jul 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-13 01:46:46-04

PHOENIX — Authorities say a cyclist has died after he was struck by an Arizona driver who plowed his pickup truck into a group of people participating in a bike race.

An Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman said Monday that 58-year-old Jeremy Barrett died of his injuries Saturday.

Thirty-six-year-old Shawn Michael Chock was indicted last week on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and other charges.

Shawn Michael Chock.png

The Navajo County attorney's office said that more charges are expected to be filed in the wake of the cyclist’s death.

Police officials said a black Ford F-150 truck, driven by Chock, hit a group of bicyclists in front of the Horne Auto Collision Center during the 13th Annual Bike the Bluff Championship Arizona State Road Race.

The cyclists were participating in the Master Men ages 55 and older category.

Authorities say Chock then drove off and officers tried to stop him. A short time later, he was shot in the area of 3rd Drive and Oliver.

PHOTOS: Bicyclists struck, driver shot in Show Low

Seven cyclists were hospitalized due to the crash. Police said two others were hurt in the crash but were able to take themselves to a hospital.

Friends are honoring Barrett by remembering his spirit. “We got connected with Jeremy who graciously opened the doors to his house and let four random people, that he had never met before, stay with him for the winter,” says friend, Russell Finsterwald.

Finsterwald trained with Jeremy the past two winters, forming a strong bond. “Jeremy is the kind of guy you meet and after five minutes, you feel like you're one of his closest friends and you've known him forever,” says Finsterwald.

Each and everyone in the cycling community is feeling the loss. "We are humans on the road. We're not protected in metal boxes and we're not an inconvenience. We are outside doing what we love,” says friend, Jennifer Quijada.

Barrett passed away after extensive surgeries. His girlfriend, along with his mother and brother are flying in from Zimbabwe to be by his side.

Barrett was thinking of others even up until his final moments. “His main concern was how everybody else was doing when he had it worse than anybody, obviously, because he's the only one that didn't live,” says friend, Paul Thomas.

Family and friends say Barrett lived life to the fullest, something they would like to see live on. "If everybody can hold on, take a piece of Jeremy, carry that forward on the bike, off the bike…. then all of a sudden we have a little bit better place, we're living with better people," says Thomas.

The cycling community is now planning a memorial ride to honor Barrett. Details have not yet been released.

Barrett's family issued the following statement Monday afternoon:

On July 10th our dear youngest brother Jeremy succumbed to his injuries sustained in the June 19th Bike the Bluff incident. Jeremy fought bravely, enduring multiple resuscitations and extensive surgeries for massive internal injuries and broken bones. He passed away with his visiting 90-year-old Mother, brother and devoted Girlfriend at his bedside to bid him farewell. His devastated mother had travelled alone all the way from Zimbabwe to visit her youngest son on a gifted air ticket, with minimum funds. She has been traumatized beyond belief, and, as a non US citizen on a visitors visa, alone, penniless and with no legal standing, (but embraced and cared for by the Angel that is the girlfriend,) who has taken her under her wing. Subsequently, her other two sons have made their way to Arizona from Africa to emotionally support her. We have been horrified to hear that the perpetrator of this shocking event is a repeat offender with a string of of crimes to his name, and was behind the wheel again. We would like to thank the absolutely outstanding medical team at Flagstaff Medical Center Surgical ICU for their professional, tireless and compassionate care of Jeremy. They kept us informed over the past agonizing three weeks as Jeremy’s condition went up and down on a daily basis. We would like to also thank Jeremy’s company Apache Nitrogen Products and his many cycling friends in Tucson and across the state for their ongoing love and support. We have been staggered by the incredible acts of kindness and caring that have come our way and our sincere appreciation goes out to these wonderful people.

Jeremy was a brilliant, kind and generous individual with an infectious positive attitude, always encouraging others and always tried to live his life to the fullest. Whether he was at work, on a bicycle or sailing, he was a shining and inspiring light in this world who will be sorely missed by many, not just in Tucson, but across the whole world.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the crash victims. If you would like to help, you can donate here.