Johannesburg - Richard Boltt was a creative soul.
The garage at his home in Kempton Park is filled with projects he worked on over the years.
Telescopes whose lenses were waiting to be ground, model aircraft boxes, an unfinished wooden bowl next to a recently used lathe.
But lying on the floor is a Titan mountain bike, the handle bars and front forks bent, the bearings crushed and the seat snapped off.
This brand-new bike was bought on Saturday, July 20 but, on its maiden voyage, the next day, Boltt was struck by a tow truck.
The avid cyclist of more than a decade died from injuries to his pelvis and spine, but it seems shock killed the 68-year-old.
And, more than two weeks later, only one witness out of the dozens who saw the crash has come forward – and no arrests have been made.
Boltt’s son Ian says he has slowly pieced together what happened on the morning his father was hit – the same day as the Tour de France came to an end.
He had been cycling down the dirt paths off Pomona Road. As he approached Fourth Street, a tow truck came down Pamona and allegedly lost control, coming off the road and smacking into him.
Boltt was knocked metres away, and it’s understood he survived for a few minutes before succumbing to his injuries.
Ian was told that Boltt died holding hands with a witness who had hurriedly approached him.
“It was a blessing that he died (at the scene), because being wheelchair-bound would have killed him as well,” said Ian, who described his father as someone who didn’t want to retire from his job as an engineer who repaired life-support systems.
“He was a people’s person, and couldn’t just sit at home doing nothing,” said Ian.
His widow, Maureen, is now trying to put the pieces of her life back together after their marriage of 41 years.
Speaking to The Star at his father’s home in Kempton Park, Ian showed pictures of Richard – always smiling – holding his grandchildren in some, proudly wearing his biking helmet in others.
“This is the man who has been taken from us,” said Ian, fighting back tears.
Ian believes there is evidence that the tow truck driver was speeding when his father was struck.
But, with only one witness coming forward so far, police have been slow to put together a case, and Ian has been told it could be weeks before an arrest is made – if the driver was indeed negligent.
A nearby shopping centre was buzzing with activity that morning, says Ian, and he and his sister are begging anyone who saw the incident to come forward and speak to the investigating officer.
“There have to be more witnesses at this busy intersection, and we need these brave people to step forward and tell their story,” said Boltt’s daughter, Miriam Nolan. “The more witness statements that are made, the better for a case of culpable homicide.”
“Someone has to be held accountable,” Ian said.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to phone Constable Mashele of the Kempton Park police on 011 393 8626.
The Star