Friday, July 13, 2007
By Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Police are investigating an accident in Harmar in which a bicyclist was struck by a car behind the Bladerunners building early yesterday.

Mark Simcic, 46, of Cheswick, was struck at about 3:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Comfort Inn, which is behind Bladerunners, by a Subaru driven by William Kratsa III, police said.

Mr. Kratsa, who is in his mid-30s, is the son of the owner of Bladerunners and the Comfort Inn and was staying in a room at the hotel.

Mr. Simcic was riding his 10-speed to work, where he starts at 4 a.m. as the morning Zamboni driver. He was undergoing surgery this afternoon at UPMC Presbyterian.

Harmar police and the Allegheny County police homicide unit are examining the circumstances of the incident, but Mr. Kratsa has not been charged. Harmar police said they did not receive a call about the crash until about 5 a.m. and found Mr. Kratsa’s car in the lot with the music playing loud and lights still on. Mr. Simcic was found lying nearby.

Mr. Kratsa, who is from Fox Chapel, was found outside near the hotel, questioned and hospitalized for an unspecified condition. Police said he told them he thought he struck something but didn’t know what it was.