By Jared Fields, Managing Editor

The Lunsford Foundation Trail claimed its first victim Thursday night.

Police responded to a call at 6:45 p.m. at the entrance to the Mabee and Edwards parking lot at the 1900 block of Campus Court.

The accident is the first on the jogging trail since construction started.

According to the police report filed by the Abilene Police Department, Mark Cox, 49, was northbound on the trail when his bicycle collided with the car of Brad Walker, freshman business management major from Kingwood, who was traveling north before entering the parking lot. Cox hit Walker’s front fender and went over the top and landed on the other side, hitting his forehead on the concrete. Cox was treated and released Thursday. Walker said his car received only a dent in the front fender.

“I was driving pretty slowly, just going into the parking lot,” Walker said. “Then he nailed the front of my car. It was a surprise.”

Cox could not be reached for comment.

Cox’s bicycle left an 18-foot skid mark before hitting Walker’s car. Cox was transported to Hendrick Medical Center to treat the wound on his head.

Police did not cite either the bicyclist or the drive at the accident scene because the driver was not at fault for the accident because the bicyclist hit the car, said Jimmy Ellison, ACU police chief.

Walker said he attended to Cox until the ambulance arrived at 6:58 p.m. Walker said his only contact with Cox was in the ambulance before being taken to the hospital.

“I was walking by and he was in the ambulance surrounded by people, and I said to someone to tell him that we’d be praying for him,” Walker said.

Although the Abilene Police Department filed the accident, both departments were involved.

“When someone calls 911, Abilene police always respond,” Ellison said. “It depends on who gets there first. Both [departments] assisted, but they ended up filing.”