A 65-year-old cyclist who was struck by a five-tonne truck around noon Tuesday along Highway 1 near the eastbound Mt. Lehman exit has died from his injuries.

The victim, an Abbotsford man, had been airlifted to a Lower Mainland hospital suffering major physical trauma following the accident, but he succumbed to his injuries around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Peter Thiessen said.

“The family does not want his name released at this time,” he added.

Investigators are still trying to piece together exactly why the man was cycling on the Trans-Canada Highway, Thiessen said, but bags filled with bottles and cans were observed attached to the bicycle at the scene, leading to speculation that he may have been collecting recyclables.

“We can’t confirm that, and we’re certainly trying to confirm what he was doing on the freeway… technically he was on that freeway illegally.”

Thiessen said other vehicles in close proximity to the impact were affected by debris from the incident, but unlike the truck – which hit a concrete highway barrier head-on following the collision – they managed to swerve and avoid hitting anything.

Police closed the Trans-Canada Highway to eastbound vehicle traffic for more than five hours Tuesday, creating a backlog of traffic that stretched for dozens of kilometers.

The closure affected the highway between 264 Street and Mt. Lehman Road, with only commercial trucks being allowed to pass due to the incident, Thiessen said.

Police officers from the Lower Mainland District RCMP Fraser Valley Traffic Services are continuing to investigate the cause of accident, and

no charges have been recommended against the truck driver at this point in the case.

RArnott@abbotsfordtimes.com