The bicyclist struck by a pickup truck and killed on a Decatur street Monday morning has been identified as Paul Taylor, 53, of Atlanta.
Taylor was riding in the inside lane of four-lane North Decatur Road near Willivee Drive when he was hit by a Ford Ranger pickup shortly before 6:30 a.m., according to Decatur police Capt. Scott Richards.
Richards said Taylor was taken to DeKalb Medical Center, where he died.
A friend of Taylor's, Joe Delgado, said Taylor was a "devoted family man, soccer coach and athlete."
"Paul touched everybody's life he was involved in -- and he was involved in a lot," Delgado said. "He will be missed for a very long time.
Taylor was an assistant soccer coach with the Cobb Futbol Club East organization in DeKalb County.
"Out of respect for Paul, his wife Barbara, daughters Kelley and Grace, as well as our coaches and the teammates of Grace, we closed Pleasantdale Park Monday," the soccer league posted on its website.
A memorial service for Taylor will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur.
Richards said Tuesday that he didn't know yet whether any charges would be filed in the accident, which remains under investigation.
About the Author
