More bad news.
Word is just coming in that yet another Southern California bicyclist has been killed — the 13th to die on SoCal streets this month alone.
According to a report from KTLA-5, the cyclist, who has not yet been publicly identified, was riding on northbound Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach when he was struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver around 4:19 pm Saturday.
The collision occurred at the intersection of 8th Street and PCH in the Sunset Beach district. Emergency responders found the victim lying unconscious and seriously injured in the middle of the roadway; he was declared dead at the scene.
No word yet on how the collision occurred, however, police arrested the driver, Becki Lee James of Huntington Beach, on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Anyone with information is urged to call police at 714/536-5670.
This is the 42nd cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and 7th in Orange County; the victim is also the 6th cyclist killed by a suspected drunk driver in SoCal this year.
My prayers and sympathy for the victim and his family.
Update: An anonymous source has identified the victim as 52-year old Kenneth Prevatte, which has just been confirmed by the Orange County Register; the Register says he’s from Long Beach. A comment from Allan indicates that he was wearing full road kit when he was killed, suggesting that he may have been an experienced road rider.
My source indicates that Becki James was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI causing great bodily injury & gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and has already been released from custody.
Update 2: A comment from Boyonabike reminds us that Prevatte’s death comes just a little over a month after Roger Lippman was killed while riding on PCH, and five months since Ernest Klein died in a collision on Bolsa Ave — making this the 3rd fatal cycling collision in Huntington Beach in less than six months.
It also points a bloody finger at the beachside city, with a population of less than 200,000. as one of the most dangerous places in Southern California to ride a bike. As a comparison, San Diego, with twice as many deaths this year, has over six times the population.
Meanwhile, a comment from Jeff Keller offers more details on the collision.
As clarification, the cyclist and vehicle were driving southbound on PCH. This happened a few hundred feet from a party we were attending. The cyclist was laying near a parked car, not the middle of the street. His bike was on the sidewalk, mangled and unrecognizable. The vehicle that hit him stopped a few feet away. I did not see any skidmarks. If she stopped in the path that she hit him, she was 2-3 feet to the right of the right lane line, putting her in the path of the “bike lane”. It appeared his head hit the top of the passenger’s window, near the roof line. Sadly and disturbing, the driver’s emotions were muted. Not of someone that just killed an innocent human.
And Kenneth Prevatte’s sister writes to tell us a little bit about who he was, and the family he leaves behind.
My name is Michelle, I am Kenneth’s sister. I live in North Carolina and our family is devastated by his death. Thank you for your posts, any information is so appreciated as we piece together this tragedy. My brother was an experienced cyclist, extremely cautious, and conscientious. He leaves behind a loving wife, whom he just wed last July, a beautiful infant son, 2 sons and a daughter all in college, parents, a sister and many more loved ones. He was such a good, good man, words cannot express the depths of this loss. I hope that his death will not be in vain and something can be done to protect cyclists in your beautiful part of our country.
Update 3: A source who has spoken with paramedics on the scene says that Prevatte most likely died instantly of severe head trauma, despite wearing a helmet, and was unlikely to have experienced any pain or possibly even known what was happening. Thank God for small favors, anyway.
My neighbor told me about this one fairly early today. They drove by this collision fairly soon after it happened. The very unfortunate rider they assumed had just been covered, but not completely. They were able to tell that the rider was wearing a complete kit. This wasn’t some unfortunate rider that happen to be going the wrong way and more than likely hadn’t had a drop to drink.
RIP my fellow rider. I hope your loved ones find peace.
Too many cars, too many drunks, too close to home. My heart goes out to the family and friends of this local rider.
Hebrews 9:27
Kenneth you’ll be missed. Prayers to your wife and children.
Prayers for Your parents and sister also
Dear Kenneth family and friends my sincere heartfelt prayers go out to you all. I am an experienced rider and travel PCH from Belmont Shore to as far Laguna Beach almost every day for exercise and to enjoy this beautiful part of Calif. I have been hit and pushed off the road but passing by the accident yesterday made me sickened by the tragedy my wife a nervous reck this could also happen to me.
Let’s all say a prayer and do our part to make sure this does not happen to someone else.
I understand how your wife feels; mine has picked me up from the ER too many times.
However, you can’t let fear of what might happen keep you from living your life — especially when the risk for any one person is so incredibly small. You face far greater risk just getting out of bed in the morning and going through your daily activities.
Absolutely, let’s hope he is the last person to die on PCH, in HB or anywhere else. And let’s work to make that happen.
Deeply saddened to hear about this. Condolences to the rider’s family and friends. If I’m not mistaken, this is the second cyclist killed by a drunk driver along PCH near Huntington Beach this summer. That’s two too many.
Yes, it is; I should have noted that. Roger Lippman was killed on PCH in Huntington Beach a little over a month ago. And Ernest Klein was killed on Bolsa Ave in HB in February.
As clarification, the cyclist and vehicle were driving southbound on PCH. This happened a few hundred feet from a party we were attending. The cyclist was laying near a parked car, not the middle of the street. His bike was on the sidewalk, mangled and unrecognizable. The vehicle that hit him stopped a few feet away. I did not see any skidmarks. If she stopped in the path that she hit him, she was 2-3 feet to the right of the right lane line, putting her in the path of the “bike lane”. It appeared his head hit the top of the passenger’s window, near the roof line. Sadly and disturbing, the driver’s emotions were muted. Not of someone that just killed an innocent human.
My name is Michelle, I am Kenneth’s sister. I live in North Carolina and our family is devastated by his death. Thank you for your posts, any information is so appreciated as we piece together this tragedy. My brother was an experienced cyclist, extremely cautious, and conscientious. He leaves behind a loving wife, whom he just wed last July, a beautiful infant son, 2 sons and a daughter all in college, parents, a sister and many more loved ones. He was such a good, good man, words cannot express the depths of this loss. I hope that his death will not be in vain and something can be done to protect cyclists in your beautiful part of our country.
Michelle, please accept my deepest sympathy and prayers for Kenneth, and for all of your family. I join you in hoping that some good will come out of this horrible tragedy, and your brother’s death will lead to improvements to ensure he is the last bicyclist to lose his life in Huntington Beach.
Dear Bikinginla,
Thank you for your site and allowing Ken’s family and friends to learn more about the accident and hear from those individuals that were there at the time he died. It has been the most awful week our family has ever endured, but your website has been my lifeline this week, and checking it hourly to see the comments gave me and my family some peace. I will never look at a cyclist the same and appropriately enough a group of cyclists rode by St. Barth’s Catholic Church in Long Beach this morning as my brothers funeral service began.
I am on my way home to NC, but will follow your site forever, hoping every morning to not see another cyclist killed.
Thank you all for your comments, posts and messages, they are read daily and much appreciated.
Sincerely
Michelle Prevatte Devanney
Michelle, I am honored for whatever comfort my comments, and those who have responded here, have been able to bring you. While I did not know Ken, I wish I had; it’s clear from the outpouring of grief that he was well loved.
For your sake, I would ask that do your best to put this behind you. Try remember your brother for the kind and loving man he was, not what happened to him. And honor him every day in the love you give to others.
You, Ken and all his loved ones are in my prayers. I wish you all nothing but the best.
Ted
Hi Michelle, I worked with Ken many, many years ago at Schlumberger in Atlanta. We have a SLB/Atlanta FB group ( https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/211964155552093/ ) and have posted the terrible news on there. Of course, everyone from Schlumberger is deeply saddned by this, as those who worked with Ken, know what a GREAT guy he is.
Michelle,
I am shocked and in disbelief. My sincere prayers are with your family for Ken. I worked for your brother in the past and he is a very genuine person. He will truly be missed by all associated with him.
Michelle, I worked with Ken for years. He was such a gentleman, perfect husband, father, son and a brother. I cant even express enough sorrow for you, Sophia and baby Sam. He was so proud of his son and daughter everytime we talked. I miss him dearly.
My condolences to you and your family, Michelle. There are several of us that ride our bikes from Belmont Shore to Newport for enjoyment. When a biker is hit by a car, we all are sadden. This was a very sad situation. Our thoughts and prayers for Kenneth and his family.
Michelle, Sofia, and family, I was shocked and saddened to hear the news this morning from a friend. I worked with Ken at SLB in Pennsylvania and have fond memories of him. This tragic accident resulted in the loss of a wonderful person who lived with integrity both in his personal and professional life. I will keep your family in my prayers during the coming days and weeks.
Michelle,
I’m a long time friend of Ken’s wife and I was looking forward to spending time with them this coming weekend. My thoughts and prayers go out to you, Soph and the family.
MaryAnne
Dear Michelle: I am so sorry for your loss. As a mother I understand your pain. My 23 year old son Devin Santiago was killed in a collision with a U-Haul truck on 9/28/14 at the intersection of 8th and PCH in Huntington Beach. I will remember your son and say a prayer for Kenneth when I take flowers to the memorial site for my son on the NE corner of 8th/PCH. God Bless you and your family. Vicki Riechers
Dear Jeff
Thank you so much, your account of the incident seem to be the most accurate I have read. My family and I came to the site on Wednesday and it was very helpful to know what you witnessed.
Thank you for taking the time to post your details.Be safe
Sincerely
Michelle
My Husband and I arrived at the scene of the accident on our bicycles shortly after it occurred. My heartfelt prayers go out to Kenneth’s friends and family. This section of PCH is extremely dangerous for bicycles as there is no bike lane, a lot of traffic especially on weekends and, and a lot of very narrow side streets leading to PCH on the southbound side. For you own safety I highly recommend taking the green belt from Anderson to Warner.
I am devastated to hear the news. My prayers are to give the family strength and peace to face this difficult time.
Kelly
[…] driver, 58-year-old Becki James of Huntington Beach, was arrested, and according to a source from BikinginLA, charged with felony DUI causing great bodily injury & gross vehicular manslaughter while […]
I, too had the pleasure of working with Ken and I am a good friend of him and his wife. He was such a great, gentle, responsible and loving person. Ken loved life, his beautiful wife and adorable new born son and his family. Whenever he talked about them, you could see a big grin on his face. He will be remembered forever. My deepest condolences to his family.
Very sad to read 🙁
I worked with Ken and found him to be a perfect gentleman, a conscientious worker, and an awesome teammate. Words cannot express the sense of shock and tremendous loss felt by our entire team. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his entire family. In the past five years we have come to know and love Ken as a wonderful person. Its hard to imagine life without him.
I am truly saddened by Kenneth’s death. I know Kenneth’s family well and they are truly the best family I know. Michelle I will always remember the Thanksgiving that we spent with Kenneth. He is a kind considerate man. I am grateful to have known him and will always remember his kind disposition. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
Marci Grabon
My deepest condolences to Prevatte family.I had pleasure working with Ken couple years ago and found he is very conscientious,gentle and very responsible person.
I too have worked with Ken for the last few years and I will always remember his smile as he spoke of his family and his love for peanut butter sandwiches. It is obvious through the various responses that he has touched a lot of peoples hearts through the years. He will be dearly missed by all that knew him and my heart goes out to all of his family.
I have ridden past this area many times, drinking and driving is a terrible part of our society. One way to help with this is to revoke for life the driver ‘s license found to be intoxicated in a bodily injury accident. It really is not a bad price and may humble folks. Second, do a one year revocation the first time they get busted for driving while intoxicated. If the second is violated, revoke for life. It may sound draconian but it would help. I too ride with flashing rear lights, a slow vehicle yellow triangle, flashing headlights, helmet with a rear view mirror and horn (115 db loud). I beg all reading this to understand cyclist are vehicles with full rights to the road, if we take the lane it is for good reason, there is an entire DMV motor law detailing this. But again in this situation none of that matters, a Good person is gone and I wish all the Love and Peace and God’s Grace to his family and him. Please please think before you drink and use the designated driver system. God Bless you Ken.
I am Kenneth’s aunt, his mother’s sister. I watched Ken grow up, play football, and he was always polite, a real gentleman. I watched him graduate from Clemson, along with his grandparents. He will surely be missed in this family. My prayers are with Michelle, Flora and Deryl, and his sife Sophia and beautiful son, Sam, also his other children. All of the comments are a real comfort to the family.
Love, Margie
I had the privilege to know Ken for almost 5 years. He was a very good man who I know without a doubt loved his family totally. He was kind, caring, decent, smart, humble and loved his college football. We shared stories about our children who are about the same ages. Recently when I asked him about Sam he ran over grabbed his iPad and showed me the pictures of his parents, sister, her baby, Sophia and Sam. He was so proud of his entire family. He also enjoyed talking about the trips to the Maters with his dad. He enjoyed being with his dad more than the golf. He was a fine son, brother, husband, father and friend. I have known many people and few have been as good a man as was Ken. I will always cherish his memory.
My daughter was traveling with me and we came upon the scene of Kens accident right after it happened. We are so sorry. It didn’t feel right to just keep going, but in the moment we had to. There really wasn’t any place to stop and the ambulance was arriving. It is important to us that we found a way to say how sorry we are and please know that this will always be with us and we will continue to pray for the family of Kenneth.
You did the right thing. While we all feel the urge to stop in situations like this, unless you are a witness or can provide medical assistance, the best thing you can do is say a prayer and keep going so you don’t interfere with emergency personnel.
And you didn’t say how old your daughter is, but younger children don’t need to be exposed to things like that.
I have known him since he was a small boy. Very good friends of his parents.Soooo sorry. He was really a good man.
I grew up in Atlanta with Tyler, Eric, and Keleigh and have remained close to them. He leaves behind 4 beautiful children, family, and his friends here still in Atlanta. He was at every baseball and football game the boys played in and loved cheering them on. My family and others here in the Atlanta area that knew Mr. Prevatte are extremely saddened and shocked by this news.
Thank you for your kind words Alex, it means so much to our family.
Michelle
I miss you already Ken! Great Boss! (so sad).
I drove by shortly after the accident with my wife and three little boys. I was extremely saddened by the scene. After reading the comments about Ken, I only wish I had known him as he sounds like such a fine person. I can tell he was liked loved and respected by those that knew him, and I pray for those he has left as they struggle with this senseless tragedy.
Dear Daniel
Thank you for your message, it means so much to our family that you were touched by his accident and took the time to post a message to us. God bless you and your family.
Michelle
Dear Michelle and Family,
So deeply sorry for your tragic loss. Please know that your friends here in the neighborhood support you and share your grief.
I rode by Kenneth’s ghost bike memorial yesterday.
The photos, flowers, candles and written tributes were very moving, and a testament to how respected and loved Kenneth was.
Paradoxically, HB has some of the best major road bike lanes in OC.
I have cycled PCH for more than 10 years, and never considered the site of this fatality to be particularly dangerous. However, the combination of fast moving traffic, tightly spaced bars and restaurants, street side parking and small side streets without traffic lights, does contribute to a potentially bad scenario for cyclists.
I am considering riding the parallel side street (green belt) through this area now. It is much slower due to several stop signs, but safer.
This tragedy is very sad and Ken was obviously loved by many. My condolences to all his friends and family. As a former cyclist, now retired to just beach cruising I can say the side street (greenbelt area) off PCH from Anderson to Warner is a much safer route. I live in Sunset Beach and this stretch of PCH is very dangerous for cyclist. Unless you’ve been a cyclist, unfortunately you just don’t think about looking out for them much. This part of PCH has NO bike lane. With all the out of town traffic, side streets, and street parking make this part of PCH very dangerous for cyclist. Yes, it will slow you down to go that way and you will have to watch for pedestrians but you are more likely to get to where you are going safely. As a resident of Sunset Beach I’d like to see the cyclist off this part of PCH. I share the road and watch for bikes all the time but mostly because I come from that background. Ride Safe!
Dear Michelle & family
My family and I decided to go to dinner in Sunset Beach and was diverted off PCH as the accident was still under investigation. The restaurant we wanted to go to was closed and we decided to just grab a bite at the little Greek salad place about 1 block or so north of the accident site.
When someone said it was a fatality I went into prayer. All I could do was pray for his spirit to be calm peaceful and happy as he made his journey homeward. I continued to hold him and his family in prayer for several days and have thought about him often since.
This man has continued to be on my mind and in my heart and I put in a search engine the date of the accident and the location and this web site came up.
I’m not at all sure why but I felt a strong connection and a sense that this guy was someone pretty special. I grieved for his family and his co-workers missing him as no one expects this kind of a exit form our earth life.
I am so sorry for your loss. Just know that I sat on the curb and held his heart in my heart and continued to pray that his whole heart, whole mind, whole body and soul was at peace.
I live in LA, I too am a cyclist, had a bad accident a little over a year ago (I’m fully recovered) and I can’t bring myself to ride on the streets anymore..I live on the river bed in Montebello, the entrance to the bike trail is 2 doors north of me…I ride the river bed north and south…
I’ll be in Asheville, NC Sept 5 -16 NC is a beautiful place to live, maybe retire there someday.
Blessings to you
I’ll keep you in my prayers
With Love & Light
lindee
Thanks for the venue to post loving and friendly words regarding love ones that have lost their life doing what they love. Kenneth loved Southern CA. He was very happy living there with his family (wife and 10 month old son). They were very happy as a family and looked forward to the weekends and family time. He also has three children in college. He always talked about the weather and how nice it is. I am thankful that we had an opportunity to visit with him and his family in late April of this year. Thanks to all of you that have posted kind and loving comments about Kenneth. Thanks to all of you that offered assistance to Kenneth at the time of the incident. His family loved him very much and he will be greatly missed.
Deryl Prevatte (His father)
Dear Mr. Prevatte:
God Bless you and your family. We will continue to pray for your strength to get through this terrible loss of your son….also we will hope for justice and that the person responsible will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Deryl, please accept my deepest sympathy. While I did not know your son, he was clearly well loved and respected.
I’m so glad you had a chance to see Kenneth and his family in April; I hope you can remember the good times like that. And rest assured that the cycling community will work to ensure justice for your son.
Dear family of Ken. I was leaving the beach that Saturday and was seconds behind the accident. I have struggled for the last few weeks with what happened, but more so of what I witnessed. Not the accident but your loved one. Everything in side of me told me to stop. But I could not. I was frozen by fear and panick. Please forgive me. I had been so tramatized… first because I saw Ken lying there moitionless and second because I just left him there alone in the street. Fimally, today I went to his memorial along side PCH and learned his name. I read his notes, looked at the pictures of his family, and found this web site. I am truly sorry for your loss and am very sorry I left him there, alone. Please know this… I prayed for his loved ones everyday…and will continue.
Respectfully,
Jill
Jill,
I am Kenneth’s mother, and there are no words to describe this pain and sorrow. We are so thankful for all the many kind and loving responses on this site. Please know that your words bring great comfort to us. Thank you for caring…All the many wonderful things said about Kenneth are so very true. He was the most wonderful, caring son anyone could want, and we have a huge hole in our heart. Please continue remembering our whole family in your prayers as we struggle through this most difficult time in our lives. The world is a better place because Kenneth was in it. The world has lost a good, good man, and heaven has welcomed a true angel.
Flora Prevatte
Dear family of Ken,
You remain in my prayers…..
My dad was a pilot and I lost my dad suddenly in a plane accident…something that gave me some comfort was that…
1. he was doing what he loved, flying
2. his passing was very swift, no suffering at all
This was the same for Ken
…there are no words, but time heals us and so does True Sources Love.
I’m so grateful for this web site as I felt so incomplete…I just knew this man was extra special and all these posts proved that.
Their love and our love never dies.
It is like a beautiful ship that has passed over the horizon, it’s still just as perfect and beautiful, it’s that it is only gone from our sight.
peace and blessings
lindee
Lindee,
Thank you so very much for your words of comfort, and they are that. So many wonderful, caring people have had an impact on our healing process. Right now, I don’t know if we ever fully recover, but we can take comfort remembering the kind of person Kenneth was, and the fact that other people recognize what a very special person he was give us great comfort.
Thank you for all your prayers and kind words. We will never forget.
Flora Prevatte
Kenneth’s Mother
Dear Flora
I am a prayer practitioner…it’s just what I do. If you are ever feeling you need direct prayer support, please feel free to call me. It would be my pleasure to give you this gift or actually anyone in your family. Prayer works, it really does.
Something in my heart knew his greatness…even though I didn’t even know him….it was my heart that responded so strongly to who he was. As I said before, it was a very unusual thing for me.
We never know why these thigns happen, I have to know deep down in my heart of hearts that there is a bigger plan, one we can’t see for sure. You will recover….and I know how badly it hurts, .it just takes time.
I have a beautiful piece that I found shortly after my dad’s accident and I read it at his memorial service. Be happy to send it to you if you like. It was a letter Benyamin Franklin wrote to his sister in law when his brother passed…it really helped me a lot.
Love & Light
lindee
323 721-3487
323 459-3683 cell
better yet, e-mail me and I’ll send it to you via e-mail
lindeespeaks@yahoo.com
Lindee,
Thank you so much for your prayers on our behalf, and I would like to have the letter Ben Franklin wrote. That is so very kind and thoughtful of you.
Love,
Flora Prevatte
fprevatte@aol.com
Lindee,
I received the Ben Franklin letter, and it has a powerful message.
Thank you for sending. May God’s richest blessings be yours.
Thanks for caring. By the grace of our loving God, we will get
through this, one day at a time.
Love,
Flora Prevatte
fprevatte@aol.com
Dear Flora,
My spiritual teacher shared with me this…
For 40 days after they pass, it’s important for them to know that we continue to wish them safe journey home…so when you think of them, cheer them on.
Then after 40 days you can invite them back, to pray with you , etc.etc. When my mom passed 2 years ago, I had a very hard time doing this…I missed her so much. But I held fast to it…as that was what was best for them. (take it or leave it)
When we yearn for them during this special 40 day segment, their journey is not as flowing.
Glad you liked the Ben Franklin letter. I have read it many many times since then and read it for many services.
With great Love dear sister, I wish for you most of all comfort.
lindee
I live across the street from where the accident occurred. We’re used to sirens in Sunset Beach, but for some reason, this time it seemed different. A few of my neighbors felt the same and we found ourselves standing on the sidewalk together. We could see Kenneth and knew he was deceased. Like some of the others who posted, it has left me feeling traumatized and with some type of connection to him. I have visited his memorial across the street and feel saddened that a beautiful life has been lost. My heart goes out to his family.
Thank you so much for caring and posting a comment, I visit this website often, and it gives me comfort to know others care and could somehow sense that our Kenneth was the best, most loving, kind, conscientious, careful, considerate, and a host of other adjectives I cannot come up with. He was the best son anyone could ever have. There is a huge hole in our hearts and will be forever. By the grace of God and caring family and friends, we will get through this….Thank you again for caring.
Flora Prevatte
Kenneth’s mother
I know Becki Lee James. Her professional name is Rebecca James Gadberry. She is widely recognized as the leading ingredient authority in the professional skincare industry .She is also the Chairman & CEO of YG Labs of Huntington Beach. She also teaches at UCLA Extension. I sincerely hope that this ruins her career, her company, her reputation and her life. Shame on her!!!
I’m disgusted. I’m saddened.
RIP Mr. Prevatte.
Rebecca James Gadberry has destroyed the lives of many people. She is a heartless, narcissistic woman who is still pretending to be someone special. To hear that she has now taken the life of a wonderful man makes those of us who have had been her victims in the past seem lucky. My heart goes out to this family and I pray that Rebecca James Gadberry, CEO of YG Labs sees his beautiful face every moment for the rest of her life.
Why don’t we hear what happens to these reckless people?
Rebecca James ought to do 25 years of community service, never be allowed to drive a car and pay the family handsomely for the rest of her life…or better yet, go to prison and throw away the key but in our country they slap you on the wrist. This could very well be what happen to Ms Gadberry if she gets a good lawyer that will explain it all away. I am still sad about this.
lindee
I was terribly saddened by this event when it happened – for two reasons:
The first reason is for the tragic loss of life and how that loss impacts a family and a community. No one can imagine how the sudden and violent loss of a loved one tears the heart of a spouse, a parent, a friend. There are no words to make this better and no actions can assuage the pain.
The second reason I am saddened by this event is that it opened the door for people to lay blame….to demonize another person. When I read the last four comments of this post, it broke my heart. Not one person considered what it might be like for the surviving individual of a tragic accident such as this. They seemed more interested in their own opinions. How cavalier they are to wish for the ruination of someone’s life. How easily they pass judgement using hearsay in place of facts.
There are already two victims here. How do you think you would feel if you knew that you were, either directly or indirectly, responsible for the death of another person? How do you think that might impact your life?
I was always taught that there are at least three sides to every story….. more, if there are more than 2 perspectives. There is the perspective of each person’s experience, and then there is what really happened. The perspective of someone who was not even involved in the experience, nor were they there to witness it, is immaterial. To defame someone by the light of an immaterial perspective, is slanderous.
There is an ideal in this country that one is innocent until proven guilty. Proof is establishing that something is true by sufficient evidence. By supporting facts. Sadly, there are people who ignore this.
Actually, there are many victims in this tragic case.
There is the well-loved man who needlessly lost his life simply because he went out for a bike ride. There’s all of his family and friends, who now face a lifetime without someone they loved, and a hole in their hearts that can never be filled.
There’s even the family and friends of the driver, who must deal with the consequences of her actions, and the effect it has had on all their lives.
You know who’s not a victim?
The woman who allegedly got behind the wheel of a car after drinking and took the life of another human being.
There is simply no excuse, ever, for drinking and driving. Prevatte’s death was the entirely foreseeable consequence of that selfish and illegal decision.
Innocent people will continue to die on our streets until we stop making excuses for drivers who don’t care enough for the lives of others to call a friend or take a goddam cab.
And stop feeling sorry for drivers who kill.
Damn straight, Ted.
Sadly, the follow up to this story is that Rebecca James Gadberry has moved on with her life and she will not be punished. I was told by a mutual friend about the “immense relief” she felt that everything is now over. I saw her recently, and she has not changed…still pretending to be famous, still stabbing people in the back and still destroying reputations and lives. My sympathy goes out to Kenneth’s family. I hope that Rebecca one days understands what she has done and takes responsibility for it. I am so sad that there will be no consequences to her actions and agree that SHE is not one of the victims in this sad story. The entire beauty industry knows what she has done and cannot understand how certain people never have to face any consequences for their behavior. My heart is sad for the true victim here and my prayers are with his family and friends.
Eliott, Thank you for your post regarding our son, Kenneth Prevatte. He was truly a good, good son. All of the good comments about him are very true. We are devastated again that Becki James will not be held accountable for her actions. HOW SAD!
FLORA PREVATTE
Mother of Kenneth
The world is a better place for having Kenneth in it.
Heaven has gained a new angel
Heaven has gained a new angel
“The entire beauty industry knows what she has done and cannot understand how certain people never have to face any consequences for their behavior.”
I’m currently in the beauty industry and have been for the past few years, and have worked closely with Rebecca. Someone on my team just two days ago discovered this news, so I can assure you that the entire industry is not aware of this. I’m not sure how, but somehow this story has truly been buried deep. Even a thorough search only comes up with very targeted website/blogs, like Biking in LA. And the story isn’t to be found on any major news outlets.
She no longer works with YG Labs, and now seems goes by Rebecca Gadberry (has dropped “James”), so the pieces are slowly coming together. My first thought is that she must have some very influential connections to keep a story like this hidden.
Although it’s been a few years since this tragedy, I’m so deeply sorry to hear of the loss of a man who seems to be loved more than words can describe. I hope family and friends of Kenneth are progressively healing.
Firstly, the most sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Kenneth’s family for their tragic loss. I hope there is at tiny part of solace for you knowing that he died doing something he loved.
It is bizarre there has been so little information on this subject; as an avid cyclist myself, but as someone who works in the skincare industry, 4 years after the fact is the first time I have heard ANYTHING about this, which is conmpunded by the fact Rebecca James Gadberry (A.K.A Becki James) is one of better known people in the industry, not least becuase of her endless self promotion. I do not know her, but have heard many people echo the statements over the years that she is really not a nice person, has a serious problem with ego / narcissism and is unapologetic about her less than attractive way of doing business, which several people have described as underhand (to put it politely).
I only found this thread as I wanted to get information on Rebecca James Gadberry’s UCLA extension course on cosmetics and they told me it has been “CANCELLED”, and there are no plans to re-instate. I said to them this seemed strange as it was pretty popular according to both UCLA and people who have attended, but UCLA just said they had no information as to why, but seemed to hint that there way have been a “reshuffle of the Tutors”. It could be that news of the tragedy got back to UCLA (despite Rebacca’s name shielding it) and they decided to drop her?
While not wanting to pry or open old wounds for the family, does anyone know how and why she got off without any penalty? It seems she had been drinking and that resulted in Kenneth’s death. I’m having great trouble understanding how she is not in jail? Was there a trial, and was she acquitted?
All I can tell you is that she was acquitted in a trial after the DA dropped the alcohol charges, for whatever reason.
Drunk driving collisions are not “accidents”. They are the results of choices and they should have consequences.
I have been following this blog ever since my younger brother, Sean, was hit and killed by a driver while biking to school. I was recently summoned for jury duty and coincidentally this was the case that they were picking jurors from. I was one of the 12 randomly picked to be on the jury, but was immediately excused because of my obvious bias. I can’t confirm the details of the previous trials and the judge did not mention the fact that she had been tried for DUI previously. The case now is for violating the code for drifting into the bike lane and killing the cyclist. While I was in the courtroom, Ms James was asked to present herself to us so we could all see her, and both my father and I (coincidentally chosen for same jury group) immediately saw the false look of remorse on her face. One of those looks you give when you want people to feel sorry for you. Reading the latest comments on here I’m disgusted to have ever been in the same courtroom as a person such as this.
Thanks for the update, John. It’s not surprising that her priors were not mentioned; jurors usually aren’t allowed to know that until the sentencing phase.
Please accept my deepest sympathy for your brother. I remember his loss all too well; it is bad enough to lose any rider, but one so young is simply heartbreaking. My heart goes out to you and all your family.
John,
Thank you for your comments regarding the trial (?) of one
Becki James who struck and killed our only son, Kenneth Prevatte in July 2012. My condolences to you in the loss of your brother, Sean. We are devastated that justice has not been served for our Kenneth. Something needs to change.
Flora Prevatte
Mother of Kenneth Prevatte
Dear Flora: I am so sorry for your loss. As a mother I understand your pain. My 23 year old son Devin Santiago was killed in a collision with a U-Haul truck on 9/28/14 at the intersection of 8th and PCH in Huntington Beach. I will remember your son and say a prayer for Kenneth when I take flowers to the memorial site for my son on the NE corner of 8th/PCH. God Bless you and your family. Vicki Riechers