Rugby man died after fighting cats got caught in his bike wheel

[dutchman]

He was airlifted to the University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire but sadly passed away



A 'friendly giant' Warwickshire dad died after falling off his bicycle when two cats fighting in the street cut across his path and got stuck in his wheels. Chris Reeves, a Network Rail signaller from Rugby was on his morning commute when the incident happened.

He was found semi-conscious by a passer-by on Abbey Street in Rugby at around 5.30am on July 30 after falling off his bike and hitting his head. CCTV footage from an adjacent garage later showed Chris had come off his bike after two cats who were fighting in the street cut across his path.

The 52-year-old was not wearing his helmet. He was airlifted to the University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire after suffering a serious brain injury and despite doctors performing an emergency operation to release pressure in his head, he died five days later surrounded by friends and family.

His son Dominic Reeves described the freak accident as being “unimaginably unfair” and said his father was a 'big, soft friendly giant'. "He was only about five minutes away from work – he nearly got there,” Dominic told PA Real Life.

"You never think it’s going to happen to you until it does. It’s tough to say because I want my dad back, but his injuries could have been lessened or he could have been completely fine if he was wearing a helmet.

"So wear a bloody helmet.”

“He must have startled them as he came round the corner and they ran out in front of him,” said Dominic.

“One of them went under the front tyre and unfortunately the other went under the back tyre. Somehow he’s come off his bike and sustained a really bad brain injury.”

Chris was sedated and taken by ambulance to a nearby field before being airlifted to the Walsgrave-based hospital.