INDIANAPOLIS — A Hoosier family is asking for help from the public after a respected retired doctor was found dead in a ditch northeast of Columbus with a broken neck.
The accident happened while Dr. Robert Petry was on a bike ride on July 14.
“He had mentioned in the past few weeks that he had numerous trouble, the number of times that people were trying to run him off the road,” says Rosie Petry. “He had started carrying a gun; he was that scared.”
His family says he usually rode on the right side of the road, but he was discovered in a ditch on the left side, still attached to his bike. They also indicated that his bike had not been struck by a car.
Source: N/A / Submitted Photo
“Just because his bike wasn’t hit by a car doesn’t mean that there wasn’t an altercation with a vehicle,” his son Robert Petry says. “A cyclist can engage in the defensive cycle to outmaneuver a car, cutting them off on the road.”
Rosie said he was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather and was loved by his family and those who worked with him.
“He was highly thought of in the State of Indiana as an allergist,” she says. He was offered a position at Mayo Clinic, but we wanted to settle in Southern Indiana.”
The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office still awaits Dr. Petry’s autopsy results.
“Discussions like this are helpful because we can listen to any information we can,” says Robert. If people saw him acting fatigued, that might indicate some medical incident that triggered all of this. That would be good to know.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Dane Duke at the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office by calling (812) 565-5943.
1. Tragic Accident
Source:Submitted Photo
Dr. Robert Petry, a respected retired doctor, was found dead with a broken neck in a ditch while on a bike ride on July 14.
2. Family’s Concerns
Source:Submitted Photo
His family reported he had faced multiple incidents with aggressive drivers, leading him to carry a gun for safety. They believe his accident may involve a confrontation with a vehicle, despite no physical evidence of a car striking his bike.
3. Ongoing Investigation:
Source:Submitted Photo
The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office is conducting an investigation and is awaiting autopsy results to clarify the circumstances surrounding his death. The family is appealing to the public for any information related to the incident.
