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Briand R. Kozera, 43, of Blue Bell, failed to stop at a sign at the intersection at South Pool Forge and Nolt roads in Caernarvon Township at 9:48 a.m. on Saturday, August 13, 2022, according to a release by Pennsylvania state police.
Kozera hit the midsection of the passenger side of a 1994 stake body-super duty Ford driven by 62-year-old John G. Good of East Earl, according to the release.
He slid under and "became caught under/in the rear passenger side wheel," police say.
The truck stopped a short distance away from the initial crash— not knowing his wheel was still on top of Kozera—but after discovering this he moved his truck to free Kozera, as detailed in the release.
The truck stopped along the west side and the bicycle on the east side of South Pool Forge Road, while Kozera lay near the center of the road, the police explain in the release.
Kozera was flown to Reading Hospital by Elverson EMS where he died from his injuries at 10:51 a.m., police say and the Berks County Chief Deputy Coroner George Holmes confirmed.
He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and Good was wearing a seat and was unharmed, according to state police.
Kozera died of blunt force trauma and internal injuries and the crash was ruled accidental, according to the coroner's office.
The 16-year veteran of the Norristown police department, Cpl. Kozera had previously beaten Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2015, and was running a fundraiser on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's website to go to the Ironman World Championship scheduled to take place in Kona, Hawaii in October— he was reportedly training at the time of the crash.
His community has been sharing about its loss on social media, talking about his service to his community.
Kozera is survived by his wife Kristin, their three daughters Paige, Josie, and Avery, his brother Matt and sister Leslie, according to a Facebook post by his brother.
Funeral and memorial service details have yet to be released, you can read more about him here.
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