No ruling yet on death of Menlo Park cyclist No ruling yet on death of Menlo Park cyclist (December 10, 2003)

By Jane Knoerle

Almanac Staff Writer

Santa Clara County coroner's officials had not yet ruled Monday on the cause of the death of Elizabeth "Betsy" Evart of Menlo Park, who fell off her bike in Saratoga on December 4 while riding with the Western Wheelers bike group.

The toxicology report could take several weeks, say officials.

The accident's cause is also not determined, said Sgt. Bill Tait of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.

Last year Ms. Evart had been in a coma after falling off her bike during a Vine Tour ride in Napa. Her son had posted a Web log attached to the Western Wheelers' Web site, reporting on his mother's recovery progress.

Last week the cyclists, who were on a group ride from Los Altos to Los Gatos, had lunch in downtown Los Gatos and were returning home to the Peninsula when the accident happened at 2 p.m. in a Saratoga neighborhood in back of West Valley College.

Ms. Evart, 67, was unconscious at the accident scene and was taken to the Valley Medical Center.

Ms. Evart had lived in a house in Menlo Park for many years, which she recently sold, moving into a condominium in Sharon Heights.

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