Update: Motorist allegedly murders cyclist in Downtown L.A.

Maybe they really are trying to kill us.

LAist reports a bike rider was killed in a hit-and-run collision in Downtown L.A. on Tuesday. And worse, police believe the driver may have deliberately targeted the victim.

The collision occurred in the 600 block of San Julian Street in the heart of L.A.’s Skid Row around 4:45 pm, when the rider was hit by a 1992-97 Mitsubishi Montero SUV. The vehicle will likely have damage to the right front end.

Needless to say, given the alleged deliberate nature of the crime, the driver fled the scene; he is described as Hispanic man with a mustache, around 45 to 55 years old.

The victim, identified only as a man in his 40s, died shortly later at a nearby hospital.

It’s long been a black joke among cyclists that if you want to kill someone, use a car instead of a gun to ensure you’ll get away with it.

We’ll soon see if there’s any truth to that.

This is the 21st fatal bicycling collision in Southern California this year, and the fourth fatal hit-and-run involving a bike rider. It is also the 10th cycling fatality in Los Angeles County, far beyond the totals for this time in both of the last two years, with four in 2012 and six in 2011.

My prayers and deepest sympathy for the victim of this crime and his loved ones.

Update: KCBS-2 offers a little more detail on the collision.

Witnesses reported that the suspect “appeared to intentionally point his SUV at the victim and accelerate at a high rate of speed,” according to a police statement. “Upon impact, the victim was propelled about 60 feet through the air. The suspect driver failed to stop and continued north on San Julian, then turned right on Sixth Street and headed west.”

8 comments

  1. LBRider says:

    I wonder if this happened in front of the mission there? There’s a camera that supposedly is there for protection. Maybe it was working?

    http://goo.gl/maps/yaQbF

    RIP my fellow rider. I hope you get justice.

  2. george-b says:

    Reblogged this on euzicasa.

  3. Erik Griswold says:

    It is not a “black joke”, it is the actual police-and-DA-enforced truth.

  4. bikinginla says:

    Sorry, PB. I was tempted to leave your comment online so everyone could see just what a jerk you are, and let people much smarter than you rip you a new one.

    But frankly, the kind of heartless insensitivity you showed just doesn’t belong on a post about someone who was murdered on his bike. If you can’t show respect for the dead, you’re out of here.

    You must make your mother very proud.

  5. JD says:

    Our sinsere heartfelt prayers go up for the family and friends of the victim.

  6. […] other news, it appears a killer in Los Angeles received the memo that’s best to kill with your vehicle if you want to get away with the […]

  7. […] LAPD: Deadly Bike v Car Hit and Run Was Intentional (LAist via Biking In L.A.) […]

  8. […] (BikinginLA seems like a useful resources, with very little funding.) A recent post there also references intentionally killings (and more recent statistics), which though nothing new, is absolutely maddening. Some journalists […]

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