Cross-country bicyclist from Berks injured in Iowa crash

Source: <a id="MainContent_MainColumnContentPlaceHolder_hlSource" href="http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/cross-country-bicyclist-from-berks-injured-in-iowa-crash" target="_blank">Reading Eagle
Author: <a id="MainContent_MainColumnContentPlaceHolder_hlAuthorBottom" href="mailto:jlewis@readingeagle.com">Jim Lewis
Posted By: <a id="MainContent_MainColumnContentPlaceHolder_hlPostedBy" href="/Profile/DrCranknstein">DrCranknstein
Modified: <span id="MainContent_MainColumnContentPlaceHolder_lblModifiedBy" title="10/30/2016 11:03:02 AM by bikeiowa">Oct 30, 2016 by <a id="MainContent_MainColumnContentPlaceHolder_hlModifiedBy" href="/Profile/bikeiowa">bikeiowa

Jim Lewis
Fri August 12 2016
Posted Aug 12, 2016
10,397

He pedaled up rugged mountains and through long stretches of lonely countryside. Berks County native Jared Fenstermacher was about halfway through a 3,000-mile bicycle ride across the U.S. to raise money for a charity when a collision Thursday injured him badly and ended his trek.

Fenstermacher, 31, a Schuylkill Valley High School graduate, was thrown from his bicycle when a pickup truck struck it from behind around 8:30 p.m. Thursday on County Route 60 just west of Hinton, Iowa, according to the Plymouth County sheriff's department.

The driver, Michael Vondrak, 29, of Hinton, was distracted by a passenger in his truck when the accident happened, according to the sheriff's department.

Fenstermacher was listed in fair condition Friday at Mercy Medical Center, Sioux City, Iowa, according to a hospital spokeswoman. He suffered broken bones in his back and both arms, as well as a concussion, said his mother, Lynn Fenstermacher, of Centre Township.

Vondrak and his passenger were not injured, according to the sheriff's department.

Jared began his cross-country ride from Astoria, Ore., to Ocean City, N.J., on July 25 to raise money for the nonprofit For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation, a Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County, charity that provides free vacations to cancer patients and their families.

Crash Date: August 11th 2016