Columbia driver hits cyclist when making last-minute turn

Columbia Police Sgt. Barbara Buck takes down information from cyclist Jeff Wainright, left, and MU student and driver Dan Marston on Tuesday afternoon at Sixth and Walnut streets.   ¦  Chris Dunn

COLUMBIA — A car hit a bike in downtown Columbia Tuesday afternoon. Neither the driver nor the cyclist was seriously injured.

Driving east on Walnut Street in his aunt's silver Mazda MX6, Dan Marston, 21, planned to turn left onto Sixth Street. He changed his mind because of a construction fence on the west side of the intersection and tried to turn right.

Before Marston knew it, he said, cyclist Jeff Wainright, 46, was over his hood.

Wainright had bruises and scrapes, but both kept calm.

“Nice to meet ya,” Wainright said with a laugh to Marston as the two shook hands after exchanging information.

This was Marston's first accident, he said.

“Just seeing someone go over your hood, oh my gosh,” Marston said.

Wainright appeared unfazed, especially because a school bus hit him in 2001.

“That wasn’t a good point for me either,” said Wainright. “But getting hit by a school bus was worse."

Columbia Police Sgt. Barbara Buck called the incident “relatively minor.”

Both said they won't press charges for damages. Wainright said Marston plans to fix his bike.