Biking Matters
Cyclist on Speedway escapes serious injury after salsa bottle attack
KVUE — An Austin cyclist hopes the public can offer tips leading to the men who threw a full bottle of salsa at his back, shattering it on his bike and causing him minor injuries.
"I mean, yeah, it was scary. Other things I've been hit with [were] manageable, but that, I was like, 'Dang, you know, that could have done serious damage,'" said Childress Pillsbury.
Pillsbury was riding near the University of Texas campus on December 6 at 27th and Speedway streets around 5:30 pm. As he entered the intersection, a light blue, late-model Ford Mustang with a black convertible top pulled up behind him and the driver was yelling.
"A car drove up behind me and I heard, 'Get the 'F' out of the way!' and I made it about halfway across the intersection after stopping and just felt the impact on the back," said Pillsbury.
One of the men in the car hurled a full bottle of salsa at Pillsbury's back, shattering it on the back of his bicycle. Then they sped away. "I had some surface [injuries], just like on this hand. There's still a little bit there. Luckily, nothing serious. No broken bones. No blood loss," said Pillsbury, who went back the next day and recovered the lid from the salsa jar thrown at him.
"I understand being a kid. I mean, I did stupid stuff, too, when I was a kid, but I didn't hurl things at cyclists or cars."
Childress said Austin is a bike-friendly city overall, but he believes cyclists should watch their backs. "I think cyclists should definitely watch out, be on the lookout, and I think sometimes, drivers should think about what could happen, like knocking someone off their bike or hitting them in the head with a glass Mason jar full of salsa. You know, it's a little irresponsible," Pillsbury said.
Austin police told KVUE they would like to hear from anyone with information, including a license plate number of the Mustang in question.
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To read the full story and to watch an interview with Childress, head to KVUE.
