A 72-year-old Abbotsford cyclist is dead after he collided with a nursery delivery truck at the corner of Mill Lake Road and Bourquin Crescent at 9:15 a.m. on Friday.

While police investigated the scene, the man’s bicycle remained wedged under the gas tank of the five-ton truck and the cyclist’s helmet lay nearby on the pavement.

According to witnesses, the cyclist was riding on the sidewalk of Bourquin Crescent, on the wrong side of the road, when he entered the intersection in front of the truck, said acting Sgt. Leisa Shea at the scene.

The driver of the Burnaby Lake Nursery delivery truck was making a right hand turn from Bourquin onto Mill Lake Road when the collision occurred.

“The driver was obeying the rules of the road and traveling at a slow speed,” said Shea, adding “He’s very distraught.”

Emergency responders pronounced the man dead at the scene, which is on the east side of Sevenoaks Shopping Centre and next to the bus loop.

The driver was “pretty shaken up and he is absolutely cooperating with police,” said Const. Ian MacDonald. “It looks like it was a split second, and the cyclist was right in front of the truck.”

The driver had the right of way and there is no indication of any vehicle infractions, he said.

The intersection remained closed for several hours, however city buses continued to run out of the north side of the bus loop.

The man’s identity has not been released, and is pending notification of the next of kin.

– with files from Christina Toth