Marilyn Olmstead, 77, was killed while she was cycling near Davis on Wednesday, September 30, 2020.
According to CBS Sacramento, a car was driving on County Road 100A north of Davis shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday. A cyclist then crossed directly into the vehicle’s path as they came off of a private road. Though the driver tried to avoid the cyclist, they were unsuccessful.
The driver has not been identified by name, but authorities have stated that he is a 31-year-old man from Davis, as reported by the Davis Enterprise.
The cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, though her name was not immediately released by California Highway Patrol. She was identified as Marilyn Olmstead by the Davis Enterprise, and her identity was later confirmed by the University of California, Davis and the Yolo County Coroner’s Office.
Olmstead was a chemistry professor emeritus at UC Davis. She joined the UC Davis faculty in 2003 after serving as a specialist at the university for several years beforehand. There has been an outpouring of condolence from former students and coworkers in the days following her passing.
The CHP is still investigating the collision.