Deputy not at fault in car-bike crash

A Charleston County sheriff's deputy hit a bicyclist who was riding in the road wearing dark clothing Sunday night, according to Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Bob Beres.

The deputy was not at fault, Beres said.

The incident happened about 11:32 p.m. Sunday at Ashley River and Ashley Hall roads in West Ashley.

According to the highway patrol report, Deputy James Foster, 76, was northbound on Ashley River Road in a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria cruiser.

James Lutz, 27, was riding his bike west on Ashley Hall Road across Ashley River Road when he was struck.

He was taken to Medical University Hospital. He condi- tion was not known late Monday.

Lutz was wearing dark pants and a dark polo shirt and was hit when he was in the road, Beres said.

"He (the deputy) was doing everything right," Beres said Monday. "He was just driving like he was supposed to be driving and came upon a bicyclist wearing dark clothing in the roadway."

In a separate nighttime incident on May 20, a bicyclist was killed in West Ashley a short distance from the scene of Sunday's collision.

Yury Babenko, 25, who was from Russia and lived in West Ashley, died shortly after the bicycle he was riding was struck by a vehicle around 10:40 p.m. at 1325 Old Towne Road in West Ashley, Charleston County Deputy Coroner Kelly Kraus said.

Steven Keuhner, 30, was charged with felony driving under the influence.