Driver charged in hit and run death of bicyclist

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Shane Ryan McGee

Shane Ryan McGee (Photo provided)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Jul 23, 2008 at 3:10 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 24, 2008 at 9:49 AM EDT

SOUTH BEND — The prosecutor's office has filed charges against the driver who fled the scene after hitting a bicyclist on July 16.

Shane Ryan McGee, 21, of South Bend was charged Wednesday wth failure to stop after an accident resulting in death, a Class C felony.

McGee turned himself in on July 17 and admitted he was the driver of the car that struck 40-year-old Patrick Sawyer around 5 a.m. the day before. Sawyer was riding his bicycle in the 17000 block of Cleveland Road.

Sawyer, of South Bend, a well-known local canoeist, was on his way to the Michiana YMCA and was wearing a helmet and reflective vest when he was hit. A nearby resident heard the accident and ran outside to find him lying on the ground next to his mangled bike.

Sawyer died of his injuries five days later.

McGee faces 2-8 years in prison. His bond was set at $3,000. He will be arraigned on Thursday.

The South Bend Tribune contributed to this report.

Saturday, Jul 26 at 2:38 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Thank you Ryan for helping get the facts out. It's important for us all to know what exactly happened.

Saturday, Jul 26 at 1:45 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Neighbor- thank you so much for coming to the aid of Pat. We are so grateful that you were able to be by his side in this horrible time.

Saturday, Jul 26 at 1:41 PM T Gaskill wrote ...

I can confirm that he was at work this day. I helped him unload a truck.

Saturday, Jul 26 at 12:12 PM Ryan wrote ...

I can confirm Shane was not working that night. He worked thirds Shift for what he worked btw is 9:30pm-6am and crew was short and they tried to call him in he declined and another crew member was called in.

Friday, Jul 25 at 11:44 PM NEIGHBOR wrote ...

It was really sad that a man life was taken away from a reckless driver. Around 5:45 am I heard something hit the pavement really hard I thought someone had threw a bottle out the window and it crack really loud My husband and I both jumped up look outside and we thought someone threw a trash bag in front of our driveway I told my husband to go pick it up as he got closer to it i heard him screaming at me to call 911 It really bothers me that how could he not know.prayers goes otu for the family

Friday, Jul 25 at 10:05 PM to Roxy wrote ...

You "give him the credit for being a man and turning himself in"? Really?!! Scared? More scared than lying wounded on the roadside alone? Abandoning his victim on the side of the road is HARDLY "stepping up", and he wouldn't have had to "turn himself in" if he hadn't been a skeezy little slime and driven away in the first place. If that cowardly little puke is your idea of a man, then you need serious help! And, just what did you hit to identify with him on such a personal level? ("Scared"?)

Friday, Jul 25 at 4:22 PM J wrote ...

Well said Anonymous 10:58! My thoughts exactly. I frequently work out/ride at that time of morning ...and i live just down the street by Castle Point. It's not that dark and very little traffic. Hopefully, i can avoid the next kid who "falls asleep at the wheel"! My thoughts are with Patrick's family in this difficult time.

Friday, Jul 25 at 12:36 PM Cycle lover wrote ...

I enjoy riding my bike at night sometimes because it is so peaceful. I read where he had a reflective best and flashing lights to the rear. I also wear a vest and have several rear flashing lights. I know I have the same rights as a car, but know I won't win an argument with one

Friday, Jul 25 at 10:58 AM Anonymous wrote ...

The report said it was 5:40am - closer to 6am than 5am. It was probably not all that dark at that time. As far as who rides a bike that early? There are many who do their fitness workouts early in the am before starting their day, so I would not think it unusual at all to see a cyclist on the road this early while I was driving. Plus, on a 4 lane highway, I would get in the other lane to pass him, especially when I am the only driver on the road and don't have "traffic" to contend with to pass.

Friday, Jul 25 at 10:49 AM ?? wrote ...

Patrick Sawyer

Friday, Jul 25 at 10:47 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Coworker-Sounds like some of you may be coming up with a cover story for him. Aren't 3rd shift jobs like from midnight to 8am? Even if he got off work "early" at 5am, how did he not realize he hit something at the time it happened, but the next day after hearing it in the news then realized it? I can come up with several other holes in this story...Prayers for all...and that all will learn/know/be aware to the fact when they are not in a safe condition to drive and thus make proper arrangements.

Friday, Jul 25 at 9:45 AM Please ... wrote ...

How do you not realize you hit a large (6 foot plus) man on a bike? I'm sorry, but if he wasn't intoxicated, then he's walking around in a coma. We're jumping to conclusions because HE LEFT THE SCENE of a serious accident! Falling asleep at the wheel is still NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE! He should be facing far more than 2 to 8. That's not appropriate for killing a wonderful father of 4! Please keep your defensive comments for someone who deserves it ...not a killer! RIP Pat!

Friday, Jul 25 at 8:19 AM CO-WORKER wrote ...

Don't jump to conclusions without knowing the story. I work with this kids aunt and uncle. He was not drunk. he was driving home from his 3rd shift job, fell asleep at the wheel. He didn't realize that he hit something until the next day when he saw it on the news and realized that he was the one that hit this poor man. He turned himself in immediately. So please don't make assumptions about someone/something you know nothing about. Instead of talking trash say a prayer for all involved.

Friday, Jul 25 at 8:14 AM judgenot wrote ...

I certainly was not trying to come up with a reason for his death (riding at 5am). But if you are honest with yourself, if you saw someone riding a bike in the dark the first thing you would think of is "that is pretty dangerous". There are no answers for why this happened. Two families will lose no matter what you or I judge as right or wrong.

Friday, Jul 25 at 6:07 AM erin wrote ...

Could we at least check our spelling while we're spouting off all our opinions?

Thursday, Jul 24 at 9:34 PM ????? wrote ...

You no everyone needs to just back off no of this was something planed shane was in shock and might of not known what to do but it least he did was turn himself in.... So lets just pray for the familes of them both because its going to be very hard times...

Thursday, Jul 24 at 4:58 PM Sorry doesn't cut it wrote ...

I can't believe how people can justify killing someone else. He GETS TO LIVE with it. Pat gets no such thing! To Roxy ...hopefully none of us are "guilty of hitting something and being too scared to stop". R U kidding. He hit a big person on a bike ...his car is likely damaged, and i'm sure he only left because he had alc in his system. Pat was well lit with full reflective gear and SEVERAL lights. This is negligent homicide if i've ever seen it. There's PLENTY of room on that stretch of Cleve!

Thursday, Jul 24 at 4:52 PM ANGRY STILL wrote ...

Roxy I have never hit "something" that looked like a human being riding a bicycle and not stopped. Do you hear yourself? He knew he hit a person and he was drunk.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 4:45 PM ANGRY wrote ...

This young man was DRUNK that is why he didn't stop!! He wanted to wait until the alcohol was out of his system. What was he out doing at 5:00 a.m.? I doubt he was out contributing to society in a positive way. Pat was riding his bike to go work out before going to college!! How about Shane? He is a criminal and should go to jail for the 8 years.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 4:35 PM ed wrote ...

Hey noon, so if he had long hair and tattoos, it would be a different story? Looks are deceiving and don't tell us anything. Anywho, at least he turned himself in. And to those who say "what was he doing riding his bike at 5am?" What does it matter, he had lights and a reflective vest. There are no lwas preventing anyone from being on the road at 5am.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 4:01 PM Roxy wrote ...

How many of us are guilty of hitting something and being to scared to stop? Yes, Shane should've stopped, but he was probably scared & maybe didnt see anything in his mirrors so he kept driving, but I do give the kid credit for being a man an stepping up and taking responsibility for what he did as soon as he found out that he hit someone.He has to live with this and it was JUST an ACCIDENT & Im sure that he is extremly sorry.My thoughts go out to both Shane and the victims family.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 3:40 PM mj wrote ...

The accident was just that, an accident. However, leaving the scene was a choice. A choice shane will have to live with for the rest of his life. I'm sorry for all involved.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 3:01 PM judgenot wrote ...

Pretty dangerous to be riding a bike at 5am on Cleveland Road. Are there any street lights? It is hard driving around bikes in daylight. Yes he should have stopped but we are all guilty of making one or two wrong decisions in our life. My prayers go out to both families.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 1:00 PM noon wrote ...

Looks like a clean cut decent boy, might of just been scared to stop. Sorry to the family for your loss, prayers go out to you and the young boy involved rather he stopped or not he has to live with us for the rest of his life.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 11:41 AM Steve-O wrote ...

He will get probation like everyone else--check out the same story that happen in Bremen 2 years back about a girl killing a lady on US331. She got probation for 3 years.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 11:01 AM Anonymous wrote ...

The neighbor heard it so I doubt him stoping would have saved his life. Seems he was admitted then a day later really started to deteroriate. wondering if he had a slow brain bleed? It was very wrong of him to leave the scene, good he turned himself in but thats the least he could do. Prayin for the family left cause they are the ones in pain now.

Thursday, Jul 24 at 9:41 AM Hmmmmmm wrote ...

$3,000 bond for vehicular manslaughter? We still haven't seen a pic of him. Per the SB Tribune's "policy", no pics or names are printed until charges are filed. Now, charges have been filed- what's up? When the guy in Elkhart turned himself in, it was plastered all over the paper that day......

Thursday, Jul 24 at 7:45 AM Rae wrote ...

Why wasn't he charged from the beginning? Why is the bond so low? Probably just will get probation,,,,,,

Thursday, Jul 24 at 7:45 AM Ryan wrote ...

With what I know of this case this is very sad and trust me the full story hasn't been posted. Karma is not very kind Shane. I'll be watching this case very closely

Wednesday, Jul 23 at 10:58 PM Anonymous wrote ...

If you run someone over on purpose, with the intent to kill them, and you flee the scene, you also get 8 years. It's a good thing we're all too clever to write our representatives.

Wednesday, Jul 23 at 10:24 PM RB wrote ...

Ken, are you are to drunk to type your comment?

Wednesday, Jul 23 at 5:54 PM ken wrote ...

was he was too drunk to help the man out? maybe had to sober up..... its a real shame

Wednesday, Jul 23 at 5:16 PM ????????? wrote ...

he'll get a slap on the wrist... the joke of a $3k bond is already indicative of that.

Wednesday, Jul 23 at 4:03 PM Linda wrote ...

Like I said. What goes around comes around. Looks like its coming around this time. If he would have stopped and helped him maybe he would have survived and look at what the outcome could have been. Even if he didn't survive, the fact that he stopped and tried his best to save him could have gone a long way in the healing process for the victims family.

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