— Three bicyclists were killed in two separate accidents early Thursday morning in Elkhart County.

Daniel Runion, 19, of Osceola, and David Anglemyer, 18, of Goshen, died as a result of injuries from a crash on C.R. 20 under the U.S. 20 overpass.

Raymundo Macjado Sabag, 60, Elkhart, died from injuries in a hit-and-run crash on C.R. 17 at the U.S. 20 underpass on the west side of the road.

‘Inseparable’

According to Elkhart County police, Anglemyer and Runion were riding their bicycles east on C.R. 20, just east of Pleasant Plain, at 5:50 a.m.

Police reported that a vehicle driven by Daniel Snead, 42, Elkhart, was traveling west on C.R. 20, just east of Pleasant Plain Avenue, when for an unknown reason his vehicle collided with the two bicyclists.

Both Anglemyer and Runion died as a result of their injuries, police said. Snead was uninjured.

Neither Goshen man was wearing a helmet or any other safety gear, police said, though at least one of the two bicycles had reportedly displayed a red flashing light.

Runion’s mother, Katie Runion, visited the scene of the crash Thursday afternoon with her daughter, Cristy Runion.

Katie gathered earphones and pieces of the bicycles that were strewn about at the scene. She found some Skittles in one area and picked them up, saying one of the men loved to eat them.

According to Katie, Daniel and Anglemyer were riding to Goshen to visit friends, she said they were always safe riders, but that according to hospital officials, the car crossed the center line and struck the men.

Katie said the two had been best friends since the eighth grade.

“They were joined at the hip,” she said. “David was as much as my son. I am getting hit double.”

“They were inseparable,” Katie added. “They’re still together.”

She said she was always more worried when the men would ride mo-peds than when they rode their bikes, but that she would encourage them to ride up C.R. 26 instead of using C.R. 20.

“I always would tell (Daniel), Mishawaka Road is dangerous no matter what time of day,” she said.

Katie had come from the hospital where the two young men were transported, saying she had not yet spoken with the police about the crash.

She explained the duo had been together at her house in rural Osceola a couple of days and left at about 4 a.m. Thursday for Goshen.

“David had a new bicycle,” she said, adding both had lights on their bikes. “They both rode mo-peds and bicycles. David had a driver’s license, so he knew how to drive.”

Anglemyer was between jobs and Daniel was partially disabled and not working, she said..

Katie said she offered her son’s organs for donation. “He’ll be an organ donor,” she said. “He would have wanted that.”

As of Thursday evening, she said, the loss had not yet sunk in.

“It doesn’t feel like he is gone,” Katie said, “He just isn’t home yet.”

“People need to start paying more attention to bicyclists,” she said. A lot of riders can’t afford lights or don’t get lights, she added.

And to automobile driver she cautioned, “You have to be more aware.”

Hit-and-run

The young bicyclists’ deaths were not the first of the day though in Elkhart County.

Earlier, at about 3:35 a.m., Elkhart resident Raymundo Macjado Sabag, 60, was killed in a hit-and-run crash while riding his bicycle on C.R. 17. Since then, police have located a suspect vehicle believed to have been involved in the crash.

According to Elkhart County police, Sabag was  riding his bicycle south on C.R. 17 at the U.S. 20 underpass on the west side of the road.

Police report that an unidentified vehicle was heading south on C.R. 17 and struck Sabag’s bicycle from behind. The vehicle left the scene prior to police arrival.

Sabag sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash, police said.

Both crashes remain under investigation by the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department Crash Investigation Team.

No citations have been issued at this time.