Gathering, ride honor fallen bicyclist

Friends and family gathered together on Sunday to honor the memory of Rachel Leek, a 20-year-old woman who was killed when her bike was hit by a car on Oct 16.

The group of about 50 people met near Ninth and New Hampshire streets with bikes, colored flags and instruments. They gathered to pay respects to Leek and to celebrate life after mourning their loss. The group shared memories and their feelings about Leek. An altar with leeks, incense and other mementos was constructed on a bicycle.

The group then rode west on Ninth Street, turned north on Massachusetts Street, then east on Seventh Street and back south on New Hampshire.

Leek was riding her bike in the east lane of the 1000 block of Tennessee around 2:15 a.m. on Oct. 16 when she was hit by a car. No one has been arrested, but Lawrence police have identified Lawrence resident Joel Cedric Hernandez, 21, as the driver of the Pontiac Grand Am that struck Leek.