Cyclist killed in crash with Indianapolis officer identified as 34-year-old father of two
The cyclist killed in a head-on crash with an Indianapolis police officer on Monday was a father of two.
"Joseph was a goofy person,” said the man’s niece, Bernice Lemons. “He was always the star of the show. He was the first one to dance or crack a joke."
Joseph Rudolph Stiger, 34, was riding his bicycle when he was struck by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer rushing to answer a home invasion call on the east side of the city Monday afternoon.
Stiger died at a hospital after the collision in the 3400 block of East 10th Street.
Lemons said Stiger was like an older brother to her, as they were raised together and born only 8 years apart.
Stiger had a 14-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son and previously worked in warehouses in Indianapolis. Her uncle was homeless at the end of his life and wasn’t a perfect person, but he was important to his family, Lemons said.
"Even though he was outside in the streets, that did not dictate who he was,” Lemons said.
At about 2 p.m. officers received a report of a home invasion on the city's east side where a woman was possibly injured during a domestic dispute and a man was attempting to force his way inside.
That report set off a series of events that ended with the crash, said IMPD Maj. Michael Leepper.
Previous coverage: Cyclist dies after being hit by Indianapolis police vehicle on East 10th Street
The officer involved in the crash had his lights and sirens on as he approached North LaSalle Street, roughly a block from the collision, according to police.
As officers were responding to the domestic call, vehicles were pulling to the right side of the roadway to allow them to pass. At least one vehicle pulled to the left and attempted a left turn as the officer was passing that vehicle on the left, a news release from the police department states.
The officer avoided the collision with the vehicle, but struck Stiger, who was riding his bike in the westbound lane toward the officer. Stiger and the officer both attempted to avoid each other but collided just past the intersection of North LaSalle Street and East 10th Street, according to IMPD.
The officer rendered aid to Stiger until Indianapolis EMS arrived and transported him to the hospital.
Leepper said the officer was transported to a hospital for a blood draw, which is standard practice when an officer is involved in an accident that results in a serious injury or fatality.
"(Joseph) loved to ride his bike,” Lemons said. “He pretty much rode a bike everywhere for as long as I can remember. I just don't know how to feel because he was just riding a bike and wasn’t doing anything when this happened.”
As the investigation continues, police are searching for the driver of the vehicle they say blocked the roadway and are asking anyone with information to contact the IMPD Crash Investigators office at 317-327-3155 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 to remain anonymous.
Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis police crash kills bicyclist Joseph Stiger, father of two
