A 42-year-old Maiden man died late Saturday when he was struck by one car, then run over by another, while riding his bicycle near his home on N.C. 16.

    It is not yet known whether a lack of safety equipment, or alcohol or drugs, played a role in the death of Harry T. Parrish Jr.

    The accident occurred about 10:45 p.m. about two-tenths of a mile north of Buffalo Shoals Road, said Sgt. T.E. Robinson of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

    He said Parrish, of 4049 South N.C. 16, was riding his bicycle north on N.C. 16 when he attempted to turn left into a private driveway.

    A vehicle driven by Susan E. Drum, 24, of Denver, was traveling north when she came upon Parrish making his turn, Robinson said. He said Drum swerved left to avoid Parrish, but struck him and knocked him off his bike into the southbound lane of N.C. 16.

    A vehicle driven by Ilene C. Holt, 65, of Maiden, was traveling south and could not avoid running over Parrish, Robinson said.

    The Highway Patrol responded, along with the Buffalo Shoals Volunteer Fire Department and Catawba County Emergency Medical Services, Robinson said.

    Parrish was taken to Catawba Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

    Parrish was not wearing a helmet or any other safety equipment, Robinson said. "But it's unlikely anything would have saved him," he said.

    North Carolina law requires that bicycles be equipped with a front lamp visible from 300 feet and a rear reflector visible from a distance of 200 feet when riding at night. Robinson could not confirm an earlier report from Sgt. T.M. Daniel that Parrish's bicycle did not have a lamp, and the report from Trooper C.M. Trouille, who investigated the accident, did not state whether the bike had the rear reflector.

    Trouille was off duty Monday and could not be reached for comment.

    Both drivers were wearing their seat belts and were not injured, Robinson said. Both were obeying the 55-miles-per-hour speed limit, he added.

    Neither alcohol nor drugs was a factor in the accident on the drivers' parts, but it's not yet known if that was the case with Parrish. His body was turned over to the state Medical Examiner's Office in Raleigh, for a toxicology report and an autopsy, Robinson said.

    No citations have been issued in the accident, Robinson said.

    Robinson could not confirm whether Parrish was turning into the driveway of his home. His address corresponds with the vicinity of the accident.

    The residence on Monday had no visible activity outside, only a few parked cars and a large "No Trespassing" sign on the front.