Newly Retired Senator Dies After Bike Accident

Recently retired US Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming has died. He was 77 years old. Enzi died peacefully Monday surrounded by family and friends, former spokesman Max D’Onofrio said. Enzi had been hospitalized with a broken neck and ribs three days after a bicycle accident near Gillette on Friday, the AP reports. Enzi was stabilized before being flown to a hospital in Colorado. He remained unconscious and was unable to recover from his injuries, D’Onofrio said. Police say they’ve seen no indication anybody else was nearby or involved in the accident. Enzi fell near his home about 8:30pm Friday, Daly said, around the time Gillette police received a report of a man lying unresponsive in a road near a bike.

Enzi, a Republican, retired in January after four terms as senator. He previously was a state lawmaker and mayor of Gillette, where he owned a shoe store. Cynthia Lummis, a Republican former congresswoman and state treasurer, was elected in November to succeed Enzi in the Senate. Enzi's family expressed appreciation for prayers and support they’ve received but asked for privacy, D’Onofrio said. The family is planning “a celebration of a life well-lived,” he said in a statement, and plans to share details later. Enzi is survived by his wife; two daughters, Amy and Emily; a son, Brad; and several grandchildren.

(More Mike Enzi stories.)