Memorial honors bicyclist
By Terry Murry on Monday, June 14th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – A bench and artwork have been installed in Madison “Jewell” Baird’s memory, six years after she was critically injured while riding a bicycle along West Whitman Drive. She died the next day, Feb. 11, 2015, at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where she was taken after colliding with a pickup truck.
The Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office believes the driver from Walla Walla was blinded by glare from the sunset, did not see Baird and struck her from behind. Deputies did not find any evidence of impairment or criminal negligence.
In addition to the memorial bench and artwork along the bike path on Whitman Drive, two “Please watch for bicycles in memory of Madison” signs have been installed. The memorial signs were donated through funds from the Walla Walla County Traffic Safety Coalition, who provided the photo.
