SAN ANTONIO — A man who was left in critical condition after being hit by a suspected drunken driver downtown early Monday morning has died.
Tito Bradshaw, 35, was a prominent member of San Antonio's bicyclist community. In fact, if you ride bikes in San Antonio, chances are, you know who Tito Bradshaw is.
Clayton Baines and Harley Smith grew up with Bradshaw. The trio was more like brothers than friends. “We just have to create an awareness,” Baines said. "A lot of people out here have been dying in our streets, especially on bicycles. You never win against a car.”
They said Bradshaw had an influence on the biking community in San Antonio. They said they have a message to everyone. "Stop the drinking and driving,” they said. “Wear a helmet. Be safe. Have lights, even though he had lights. Ride with lights on. Ride in groups... one thing I wish he would have been doing.”
Monday night, a crowd amassed on Hays Street Bridge to pay homage through a vigil and take one more ride in honor of Bradshaw. His father was there and addressed the crowd at the Hays Street Bridge.
“Only thing I ask, Lord, is that there is a bike heaven up there to where my son is able to ride one more time,” his father said. Bradshaw’s father said his son just became a registered organ donor a few days ago. According to family and friends, Bradshaw was declared brain dead Monday afternoon. He remained on life support long enough to keep his organs healthy for donation.
"Even after life he is still helping others," Baines wrote in a post.
As the co-owner of the Bottom Bracket Bicycle Shop and Bottom Bracket Social Club, Bradshaw served as one of the pillars of the local bicyclist community.
KENS 5 sat down with Bradshaw back in November after his shop was scammed out of thousands of dollars, nearly leading to the shop's demise.
Bradshaw held a successful fundraiser following the incident and was able to stay in business for many months.
Sadly, on March 8, the shop announced it had to shutter its doors just a few weeks before Bradshaw was struck while riding his bike downtown.
San Antonio Police said Bradshaw was hit by a woman driving a white Toyota sedan around 12:30 a.m. in the 1900 block of East Houston Street.
The driver, 67-year-old Linda Collier Mason, was evaluated at the scene and was arrested and booked for Intoxication Assault and Driving While Intoxicated. Mason was being held on a $77,000 combined bond.
In a social media post early Tuesday morning, Bradshaw's business associate and close friend, Clayton Baines, posted about his death, saying, "I will not rest until Tito Bradshaw sees justice. In case you didn’t know, he was hit by a 67-year-old woman last night who was intoxicated. I will see to it that justice is served and my brother didn’t die in vain."
Bradshaw leaves behind a 5-year-old son. A GoFundMe account has been established in Bradshaw's name to help raise funds for his medical bills and family. For more information or to make a donation, CLICK HERE.