Cyclist's death may have been natural Cyclist's death may have been natural (July 28, 2004)

By David Boyce
Almanac Staff Writer

A Palo Alto bicyclist found lying on a Woodside road next to his bicycle over the weekend may have died of natural causes.

Cyclists found Richard Michael Norgren, 51, lying unconscious in the 300 block of the steep and twisty Old La Honda Road at 12:40 p.m. Saturday, July 24, said Lt. Lisa Williams of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

The cyclists called 9-1-1 from a nearby residence. Sheriff's deputies and paramedics from the Woodside Fire Protection District responded and took Mr. Norgren to Stanford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:15 p.m., Lt. Williams said.

While the incident is being called a traffic accident, sheriff's deputies do not know what happened, Lt. Williams said. Mr. Norgren's body had "very little (physical) trauma," said Phil Hickman, the deputy coroner of San Mateo County. The cause of death won't be known for about six weeks, after the results of a toxicology report are in, Mr. Hickman said.

Mr. Norgren was "in cardiac arrest" during the entire trip to the hospital, said Battalion Chief Don Romero of Woodside Fire. "My gut level suspicion is that this guy had a heart attack while riding," Mr. Romero said, but added that such incidents are considered crime scenes until an investigation proves otherwise.

The investigation team will try to recreate the circumstances of the accident, including looking for trauma to the bicycle and possible paint transfers that would have resulted from a collision, Lt. Williams said. "Some witnesses had reported seeing a speeding vehicle going up Old La Honda Road," she said.

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