25-year-old man died during bike race in Ashland watershed; coroner couldn’t determine a cause of death

By Shaun Hall, Rogue Valley Times

Mountain bike rider Forrest Anthony Angwin sent a text message to his father at 5:19 p.m. April 12, the last day of his life, before racing down the Jabberwocky Trail near Ashland. “I’m at the top,” the 25-year-old Grants Pass resident wrote, according to a copy of the text provided by his father, Forrest Anthony Angwin III. “NICE,” the elder Angwin replied. “That was fast.”

“Took me about 30 minutes.””Good job!!!” It wasn’t long before the young man started down, riding his father’s bike, not his usual bike, as a competitor in a first-of-the-season race organized by Ashland DEVO. About halfway down, some 2.5 miles from the finish, where his father awaited him, he crashed, according to Angwin III, who spoke Wednesday in a phone interview.“I understand it was on a little bit of a turn,” he said. “There was a jump there. He took an impact to the chest.”

No one saw the crash. Other racers went by. In fact, no one knew of it until he didn’t check in at the bottom, near Lithia Park, and a race official went looking.

Casey Botts, executive director of Ashland DEVO, a youth-oriented biking organization, released a statement. Botts, who is president of the Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association, said Angwin was wearing a helmet and other safety gear. When found a short distance from the trail, he was unresponsive. Organizers and volunteers tried to resuscitate him.

“We are extraordinarily grateful to those who responded to this incident, including fellow participants who initially assisted our outstanding team, and for the emergency services and law enforcement personnel who worked with our team during this difficult event,” Botts wrote. “We all cherish the freedom and joy we receive from time spent on the trails, but times like this are a reminder that risk is ever present in our sport.”

Participants in the race ranged in age from 7 to 50.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies and rescue personnel were notified about 6:30 p.m., but that Angwin died at the scene on a remote section of the popular trail. The official cause of death is pending the results of lab tests, according to sheriff’s office spokesman Aaron Lewis. The results of an autopsy were provided to the family.

“The crash is a mystery,” Angwin III said. “The coroner couldn’t determine a cause of death.”

His son, an intermediate-level rider familiar with the Jabberwocky Trail, was using a GoPro video camera during his ride, although the camera “took an impact” and didn’t show the actual crash, he said. There were no broken bones, except some ribs broken during CPR.

“It almost sounds like that football player,” he said, referring to Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed Jan. 2 after making a tackle during a game.

“He hit his chest and it threw his heart out of rhythm,” he surmised.

An online fundraising campaign set up by a family friend, Justin Duby, had raised more than $17,000 as of Thursday. Donors included fellow riders and bicycle-related organizations, more than 170 donors in all, for which the family is grateful. The money is earmarked for funeral expenses, according to Duby’s posting. It also will support the younger Angwin’s fiancee, Cheyenne Crowl, and her 2-year-old boy, Logan, who called him ‘Dad.’

“He was stepping up in the dad role for that little man,” Angwin III said. “I told her, ‘You’re my daughter.’ We’re going to do whatever we can to help her out.”

Angwin worked with his stepfather at Michael’s Plumbing of Grants Pass. He attended Hidden Valley High School and Grants Pass High School in Josephine County before graduating from El Cajon (California) High School. Besides his father, he is survived by his mother, stepparents and five siblings. He created a YouTube page, F&F Garage.

“I was fortunate to be his dad,” the elder Angwin said.

A memorial service is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Edgewater Christian Fellowship, 101 Assembly Circle, in Grants Pass, with a barbecue to follow at Fields Park, 6784 Williams Highway, near Murphy. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors of Grants Pass is handling arrangements.

Angwin has ridden the Jabberwocky Trail since 2015 and sometimes rode it a couple times a month, his father said. Crowl sometimes would drop him off and wait for him at the bottom.

“He was very good at what he did,” Angwin III said. “It’s a great sport. It’s an unsafe sport.

“He went out having fun, doing what he loved. Love what you do. Do what you love.”

To see the gofundme page, go to www.gofundme.com/f/forrest-a-angwin-death-expenses

Reporter Shaun Hall covers outdoors and the environment. Reach him at [email protected]. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.