Dozens of cyclists today held a ride to remember a woman hit and killed while riding her bike on River Road in Bethesda.
The cyclists rode to the crash site, near Little Falls Parkway, and placed a ghost bike dedicated in Sarah Langenkamp’s memory.
During the event, a woman found a diamond in the road and quickly learned it belonged to Sarah.
"Something was glistening up off the road and I picked it up, and I just stared at at it, and I said 'I wonder if it was Sarah’s,'" Alicia Hatcher said. "Somebody who knew her turned around and said 'oh my gosh they’ve been looking for that for a while.'"
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Some at the memorial knew Sarah and her family, but many did not—a biking community coming together to push for safer roads.
Sarah was a diplomat for 17 years, serving her country in some of the most dangerous places. She had had recently settled into Bethesda with her husband and their two young sons. Sarah was riding her bike home in a designated bike lane after an open house at their school when she was hit by a flatbed truck.
Montgomery County police are still investigating and the driver has not been charged.
Sarah's husband, Dan Langenkamp, is advocating for safety improvements to protect cyclists in the area. He has raised well over $200,000 through a donation campaign to promote bike safety.
Plans are already underway for more bike rides in Sarah’s memory and more advocacy to ensure roads in our region are safer for cyclists.
