Cleveland driver pleads not guilty in bike fatality

Tyrelle Taylor, 26, entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. He is charged with multiple offenses related to the death of William Mays, a bicyclist from Highland Hills. The judge ordered Taylor held on a $250,000 bond and scheduled his next hearing for Nov. 16.

The fatal collision occurred just before 5 p.m. on Oct. 18. Mays was killed in the area of W. 25th Street and Detroit Avenue on Cleveland’s West Side. Cleveland police reported that Taylor was stuck in traffic near the W. 6th Street area during Cleveland Browns game day congestion.

According to the police account, Taylor became frustrated and drove to the left of the center line. He struck several vehicles in the process, causing his Ford F-150 to lose one wheel. He then crossed the Detroit Avenue Bridge and hit Mays.

Police said Taylor continued to drive for approximately 0.4 miles while dragging Mays. The truck finally came to a stop after crashing into the center of a roundabout at West 28th and Franklin Boulevard. Taylor fled the scene and left his truck in the middle of the intersection.

While on the run, Taylor told several people he was homeless and needed clothing. On Oct. 21, he surrendered with the help of the U.S. Marshals and the Neighborhood Impact Community Engagement Unit, or NICE. Officers said he cooperated during that process.

Taylor faces one count of murder, one count of involuntary manslaughter, and 19 counts of felonious assault. He is also charged with one count of tampering with evidence, two counts of failure to comply with a police officer, and nine counts of failure to stop after an accident.

Highland Hills Police Chief Charles Golston described Mays as a beloved member of their community. In July, members of the Highland Hills Police Department bought Mays a new bicycle. He used that bike to commute from Highland Hills to Highland Heights for work after his previous bicycle broke down.