Town police seek a criminal complaint of operating to endanger after a car and a bicyclist collided on Mass. Ave. near Orvis Road, injuring the cyclist.

The driver, a 56-year-old Arlington woman, told police she was reaching for her phone when the collision occurred at 5:26 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16.

The cyclist, a 61-year-old Arlington man was transported to Lahey Clinic for medical treatment of scrapes and cuts on his head, arms and legs.

On arrival, police found the bicycle operator lying on his back in the westbound lane of Mass. Ave. about 25 feet past Orvis Road. He was being treated by the Fire Department, and his injuries appeared to be nonlifethreatening.

About 10 feet from the cyclist, a blue Chevrolet Cruz sat with hood and windshield damage. The operator told police that she was uninjured and stated she was driving westbound on Mass. Ave. at about 25 to 30 mph when she reached over to her bag on her passenger seat to get her phone. When she looked up, she said, she heard a smash and then realized that she had struck the bicycle.

The injured man had limited speech because of his injuries but said he was riding westbound on Mass. Ave. and was about to turn left onto Orvis Road when he was hit. He said he was signaling to turn left before being struck.

A witness told police he was driving behind both and saw the cyclist stopped near the yellow line at Orvis Road, signaling a left-hand turn when the vehicle struck the cyclist from behind.

The man's bicycle, a blue Trek, was returned to his home. The car was towed by Mal's. 

This news summary was published Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019. Publication was delayed because police were dealing with the aftermath of last week's storm.