GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Work is underway to build and dedicate a 'ghost bike' to pay tribute to a bicyclist who was killed in a crash in Grand Rapids Saturday evening.
Steve Dowhan, 53, of Walker, was hit by a suspected drunken driver on Pearl Street NW at Scribner Avenue. He died at the scene.
Dowhan frequently cycled to and from his work as a stagehand, helping set up and break down big events at Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place downtown. Last year, he helped build the exhibit for the 50th anniversary of President Gerald R. Ford's inauguration at the presidential museum in Grand Rapids.
When Dowhan's co-worker, John Despres, decided a ghost bike should be made to honor him, he knew exactly where to turn: Upcycle Bikes in Grand Rapids.
"It's interesting that you reached out (about getting a ghost bike) because I have had that thought recently. We have potential ghost bikes and if that provides a little comfort to individuals, we'd love to be able to do that," founder and executive director Rick Armbruster told Despres.
The nonprofit rehabs donated bikes and turns them over to charities to distribute to people who need them. Armbruster launched it in 2022 after he started volunteering with Bethany Christian Services to help with the influx of refugees from Afghanistan.
"It started with the refugee population, but now we're serving people with housing insecurity, parolees, addiction programs, women in crisis — anyone with severe financial constraints can use access to basic transportation," he said.
Despres is a cyclist himself.
"Losing another cyclist is absolutely senseless, just senseless, and the way this happened was even worse," Despres said. "Cyclists are at risk right now. They're at risk of distracted drivers. … The more people are aware of it, the more it becomes real."
"We are all extremely passionate about bikes and getting more butts on bikes. It's tragic when we lose somebody," Armbruster said.
Despres said he hoped the ghost bike — a bicycle painted white as a memorial — would honor his friend and remind drivers to watch for bicyclists on the road.
"(Dowhan would) probably be a little embarrassed (about the ghost bike) and roll his eyes," Despres said of his friend.
But, he said, Dowhan "just loved talking about his bike, so (a ghost bike) makes sense."
Despres recalled his friend as a lover of music and always curious.
"He was just an enthusiast about a lot of things and always had questions," he said. "He wanted to learn more stuff about the people around him."
Ghost bikes are usually placed at the scene of a cyclist's death, but Grand Rapids does not allow memorials on public rights of way. Despres said he will dedicate the bicycle where the crash happened at 10 a.m. Feb. 1 and then look for a permanent home.
Grand Rapids Police arrested the suspected drunk driver the night of the crash, but he has yet to be charged. That is not uncommon in similar cases because police have to wait for the results of toxicology testing, which can take some time to come back.
