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Keith Maddox Facebook Videos Highlight Anger Against Cyclists

Share The Road
Share The Road

Update: The Anniston Star has reported that Keith Maddox was arrested on Thursday, May 22nd, on charges of reckless endangerment. A bail of $3000 was set. Maddox has taken down the latest of the three videos from his Facebook page, and has posted an apology where he states “…anybody who knows me knows that would never ever intentionally hurt anyone. I am truly sorry for anyone I may have offended … and please everyone share the road and be very aware of bicycle riders everywhere.”

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

“You see what I was talking about? Look it there. Look right there. I ought-a run him in the ditch. Look at him, look at him. Ridin’ your little bicycle, you piece of crap! I ought-a run him in the ditch is what I should’a done, should’a put him in the ditch! God I hate bicycles!”

These are the words of Keith Maddox from a video posted on Facebook on October 30th, 2013. Since that date, two more videos were posted on March 11th, 2014 and May 20th, 2014, with similar threatening statements.  The videos have been compiled into one and posted onto YouTube my a user named Jeff McCord. The video ends with screen shots showing Maddox’s posts and the comments from himself and others connected to him on Facebook,

Maddox is listed as a resident of Piedmont, Alabama, according to various websites and his Facebook page shows he has worked at ANCDF, or Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility and the Westinghouse Anniston facility.

In an email response from the Piedmont Police Department, Chief Steven Tidwell, acknowledges that multiple anonymous tips have been submitted through their MYPD app concerning the videos. After reviewing the videos, he points out that one of the identifying geographic features seems to be an active railroad crossing. Piedmont has not had an active rail line in a number of years, but others who have contacted him suggest it might be near the Anniston Army Depot. Tidwell provided that the Alabama State Police (Alabama Department of Public Safety) and Calhoun County Sheriff would have jurisdiction in that area. In closing, Tidwell states, “Should we be able to determine that the events occurred in Piedmont, we will certainly investigate and prosecute any applicable criminal activity.”

Emails to the Alabama Department of Public Safety and Calhoun County Sheriff’s office have not yet been returned. Besides the recorded threatening remarks and behavior towards cyclists, Maddox could at a minimum be sited for distracted driving as he is videoing the incidents using his cell phone.

It wasn’t that long ago that I posted an article about three motor vehicle/cyclist incidents in my area, that led to two people being hospitalized. Instead of getting into the discussion about how cyclists and motorists can share the road, a cyclists right to be there, or how Maddox is delayed by a matter of seconds by these cyclists, I want Mr. Maddox to consider these cyclists’ lives.

“Lord have mercy, I’m going to hurt one of them one of these days, I can’t help it. I’m going to do it, I can’t help it.” As it seems that Maddox is a God fearing man, he seems to have no compassion for another person who happens to be going slower than him on a bicycle. Considering his faith, this seems to be counter intuitive. As he “buzzes” past a pair of cyclists in his truck in the last video, he laughs, exclaiming “That scare ya boys? Get your peddlin’ butts off the road. God I hate cyclists.”

Executive Director of the Alabama Bicycle Coalition points out that Mr. Maddox does not represent the majority of the local community. “…We have a very active cycling community in Alabama. There is a great rails to trails that starts in Anniston, AL, and ends in Atlanta, GA. The cities along the way have embraced cycling as an economic opportunity. The mayor of Anniston is promoting cycling and helped create Cold Water Mountain, a great mountain biking location.”

While Alabama currently does not have a minimum safe passing distance in place, the Alabama Bicycling Coalition is urging cyclists to continue to contact their state representatives to pass the bill that was successful in the state senate.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, as of January 2014, 22 states and the District of Columbia, have laws on the books that require motorists to provide three feet when passing a cyclist. Virginia requires two feet be given, while Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation that requires four feet of space between a cyclist and a passing motor vehicle.

Additionally, 19 other states have statements saying that motorists must pass at a “safe distance.” What someone considers a safe distance could be vastly different depending on the number of wheels they are on.

Section 32-5A-260 of the Alabama motor vehicle code states “Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter.” In all instances of the Mr. Maddox’s videos, the riders are following Section 32-5A-263, which states “(a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable…” and “(b) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast…”

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