NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: A lumber that slid off the back of a passing flatbed truck killed a Portland couple Christian Deaton and his wife Michelle Deaton.
Christian and Michelle were biking through Napa Valley in California when the fatal accident occurred.
According to Napa County sheriff's spokesperson Henry Wofford, the collision was reported on October 17 around 11 am on Silverado Trail north of Oak Knoll Avenue.
While biking on the north on the thoroughfare, a 2018 Freightliner three-axle flatbed truck tried to pass the couple. A lumber stacked on the back of the truck shifted to the right and hit both cyclists.
Christian died at the scene, while Michelle died later in the hospital, reported The Oregonian.
Who were Christian Deaton and Michelle Deaton
The married couple, Christian, 52, and Michelle, 48, were from Oregon, Portland.
Both worked as executives for Nike in Beaverton, where Christian was vice president of product and merchandising at Nike Swim, and Michelle, an EQ design studio director.
They came to Napa for a two-week road trip vacation.
The couple married for 21 years, bonded through their faith, and loved traveling together.
Elizabeth LeMay, a friend of the couple who previously worked with Christian at Nike, fondly remembered their love for each other.
"They shared so much love for each other," said LeMay.
"They were a couple you come across once in a lifetime," she added.
According to Cholee Thompson, another friend of the couple, Michelle was a calm, strong, and lighthearted woman who was the "ultimate wing woman."
"Life was their hobby – there was never a moment where they weren't going to make the most of it," said Thompson.
Christian's father Greg Deaton wrote about his loss online. "I lost my son Christian and my daughter-in-law Michelle in a tragic bicycle accident a couple of days ago. They were so special and everyone who knew them, their lives were enriched. And everyone who knew them are now mourning their loss. Pray for us," he said.
The truck driver cooperated with the investigation
According to California Highway Patrol, the 2018 Freightliner's driver was a 55-year-old man from Vallejo.
During the investigation, he stayed on scene and cooperated with the investigators. The speed limit in this area is 55 mph, and the truck was traveling only 40 mph.
The patrol so far has not said whether the driver was charged with a crime.
