Woman killed by car while riding bike in Edwardsburg

EDWARDSBURG, Mich. -- At 7 a.m. this morning, Taleena Smaltz was struck from behind then killed by a motorist traveling down U.S. 12 near Edwardsburg 

Police say they are testing the driver's blood work but don't think alcohol or drugs were involved. 

Sergeant Andrew Erickson says “a male subject who has consented to a blood draw to have his blood taken for possible testing reference alcohol or drugs. We do not expect any of those but it’s a general precaution when we have a fatality crash.”

A roommate of Smaltz, who wants to remain unidentified, said Taleena like to do things herself and was on her way to her first day at a new job. 

"She was offered my girlfriend's car to go to work today. I offered to take her to work today she refused, she rather ride her bicycle to work it was her first of work which would've been at 8 o'clock this morning but she never made it."

One neighbor only a few feet away, who didn't want her face on camera, says this accident is one of many that happen along this stretch of road and confirms their every day fears. 

“We've had a lot of accidents a lot of cars in the ditch, cars in the woods plowing into our mailbox. It's very dangerous I think. I am afraid to get my mail, I like to wait to wait till there are no cars going by.”

Sergeant Erickson says if you are going to ride on such busy roads, take precaution. 

“Take the proper safety precautions, go with the flow of traffic. It wouldn't be bad to wear a helmet or maybe even a reflective vests. Especially during those early morning or late evening sunrise, sunset times.”

We reached out to the Michigan Department of Transportation about the possibility of adding bike lanes to U.S 12.

We were told that isn't in the cards right now because there's already a 6-foot wide shoulder on the side of the road.