Driver who struck, killed Washburn professor in 2015 arrested again

A Chanute man who struck and killed a Washburn University professor participating in a bicycle race in 2015 was arrested again — this time for reckless driving, the Crawford County sheriff said.

Todd Michael Kidwell, 39, was jailed Thursday after a sheriff’s detective saw him fail to stop at the intersection of Kansas highways 7 and 126 shortly after 9:30 a.m., Sheriff Dan Peak said in a news release.

Kidwell was also driving the vehicle that hit Glenda Taylor near Walnut on June 7, 2015, he said. Taylor, of Topeka, was a professor and head of the Washburn University art department. News reports from the time said she was taking a morning ride along K-146 in rural Walnut when she was hit by a 2006 Ford F-150 driven by Kidwell as he tried to pass her.

Taylor had been preparing for the Kansas State Time Trial Championships bicycle event held that morning in Crawford County. She was a longtime competitive cyclist with several state championship titles, The Eagle has previously reported.

During Thursday’s incident, there were other vehicles at or near the intersection Kidwell failed to stop at, Peak said. Kidwell was driving a 1999 GMC Safari Van pulling a trailer northbound on K-7 at the time.

He was being held in Crawford County Jail on Thursday in lieu of $500 bond.

This story was originally published May 4, 2017 at 2:07 PM with the headline "Driver who struck, killed Washburn professor in 2015 arrested again."