Police say the Saturday morning collision on FM 455 East near Pilot Point left two men dead and prompted an ongoing investigation.
PILOT POINT, TX — Two members of the Frisco Triathlon Club were struck by a vehicle and killed during a Saturday morning group ride on FM 455 East near Pilot Point in Denton County, authorities and club leaders said. The men were identified as Andre Kocher and Scott Mages.
Officials said emergency crews responded after multiple 911 calls around 8:19 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20. The crash happened just east of Fritcher Road, a rural stretch popular with weekend cyclists. One rider was taken by ground to a hospital in Celina and later died; the other was airlifted to Medical City Plano and also died. Police have not released details about the driver, potential charges or the cause of the crash. The deaths rattled a close-knit endurance community in North Texas and spurred impromptu memorials and a planned remembrance run in Frisco on Christmas Eve.
Witness accounts and early statements describe a routine training ride that turned tragic in seconds. Club members said Kocher and Mages were part of a weekend group accustomed to long miles on farm-to-market roads north of Frisco. The route Saturday followed FM 455 East, where traffic can be light but fast. Tommy Johnson, a longtime friend who owns Sport Speed Lab, said he had planned to join but went to work instead. “I couldn’t believe it. I was supposed to go on that ride,” Johnson said. He and others described both men as experienced athletes who often volunteered at local events and encouraged newcomers. First responders from multiple agencies converged on the scene within minutes after callers reported two cyclists down and a damaged bicycle along the eastbound lane.
Pilot Point police said the investigation remains open. As of Monday, officials had not released the driver’s name, the vehicle’s make and model, or whether impairment, distraction or speed is suspected. Crash investigators are reviewing roadway evidence and interviewing witnesses from the group ride. Authorities confirmed the timing of the first 911 calls, the two transports — one by air, one by ground — and the hospitals involved. The Frisco Triathlon Club identified the victims publicly and shared their families’ requests for privacy while arrangements are made. A broader safety review of the corridor has not been announced. Officials did not say if any citations were issued at the scene, and no charging documents had been filed in county court records as of Monday morning.
Kocher and Mages were known in North Texas triathlon circles for steady training and encouragement of peers. Friends said Kocher completed Ironman California last year, and both men often rode north of town to avoid heavier traffic inside the suburbs. Matthew Olivolo, an Ironman triathlete who lives in the region, said the local community is grieving and checking on one another as details emerge. Memorial posts from teammates and area bike shops described them as reliable ride partners who showed up early, shared spare tubes and smiles, and made group rides safer by modeling good habits. The club said plans are underway for a holiday remembrance that keeps their running shoes and bicycles front of mind during a week many spend with family.
The fatal collision occurred on FM 455 East, a two-lane farm-to-market road that cuts through rolling pasture and exurban neighborhoods northeast of Denton. Weekend mornings draw clusters of cyclists from Frisco, Plano and McKinney to routes around Pilot Point, Lake Ray Roberts and the Greenbelt corridor. Local riders say the mix of higher speed limits, limited shoulders and drivers unfamiliar with groups can create close passes. Denton County crash records in recent years have shown periodic spikes in bicycle-involved collisions in growing areas as traffic volumes climb and housing pushes farther north. Saturday’s crash adds to a national picture in which cycling deaths have risen in some regions despite improved helmets and lights, according to transportation data, while design fixes — wider shoulders, separated paths and traffic calming — arrive unevenly.
Police outlined next steps typical for a serious traffic investigation. Officers are collecting roadway measurements, debris patterns and any video from nearby homes or vehicles. A formal crash report will be filed once diagrams and witness statements are complete. If investigators determine probable cause for an offense, the case could be forwarded to the Denton County District Attorney’s Office for review of potential charges. Officials did not provide a timeline. The Frisco Triathlon Club said it would hold a Santa Run memorial on Wed., Dec. 24, in Frisco, honoring Kocher and Mages. Additional rides of silence may follow after the holidays. Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced by the families.
On Sunday and Monday, flowers and two small flags appeared near the crash site, according to riders who stopped on training loops to pay respects. In Frisco, club members gathered at dawn to share stories before workouts. “They were the guys who waved everyone in and checked if you ate,” Johnson said. Others recalled seeing Kocher at finish lines with a handheld cooler and Mages adjusting a friend’s brake minutes before rollout. A rider who asked to be identified only by her first name, Carla, said she had crossed paths with both men for years. “You could count on them to show up and look out for the group,” she said. “That’s what everyone is talking about — how they looked out for people.”
As of Monday afternoon, police had not released additional information about the driver or whether alcohol testing was conducted at the scene. Investigators were expected to submit an initial report this week. The Christmas Eve remembrance in Frisco is the next public gathering in their honor.
Author note: Last updated December 22, 2025.