Merced man was biking on 16th. Then he turned left into traffic, police say

A 65-year-old Merced man on a bicycle suffered "pretty significant" injuries when he was struck by a car in central Merced, according to police.

The man was pedaling east on 16th Street near Yosemite Parkway when he turned left across traffic around 3 p.m. Thursday, Sgt. Dan Dabney said.

The woman driving a Kia Optima east on 16th Street could not stop before hitting the cyclist, police said. He suffered major injuries to his head and body, and was flown to a Modesto-area hospital, Dabney said.

His identity was not available on Thursday.

The driver-side windshield of the car was smashed in.

Dabney said bicyclists are required to obey traffic laws, including yielding the right-of-way when appropriate.

This story was originally published January 25, 2018 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Merced man was biking on 16th. Then he turned left into traffic, police say."