(FRANKFORT TOWNSHIP) A Mokena man died after he fell off his bicycle while swerving to avoid a crash Saturday morning in a forest preserve in southwest suburban Frankfort Township.
Vaibas Barpucanski, 42, was riding on the Hickory Creek Junction Trail a few minutes before 10 a.m. when he rode down an incline, around a curve, and swerved to avoid an oncoming cyclist and a runner, said Will County Forest Preserve Police Lt. Tracy Chapman.
Barpucanski lost control of his bicycle, flipped over and landed on the back of his head and his back, Chapman said. He was not wearing a helmet.
A retired police officer and a nurse came upon Barpucanski and tried to assist, while the other cyclist rode to the forest preserve’s parking lot to meet responding officers, Chapman said.
Barpucanski was taken to Silver Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:37 a.m., Chapman said. An autopsy found he died of blunt force trauma.
