Yet another driver kills a cyclist and flees the scene; 3rd fatal Ontario bike hit-and-run since July

News is just breaking that yet another bike rider has been killed by a hit-and-run driver, this time in Ontario.

According to the Daily Bulletin, the victim was riding on Euclid Avenue at Budd Street shortly after 2 pm Sunday when he struck by a Ford pickup traveling north on Euclid. No word on which direction the victim, who has not been identified pending notification of next of kin, was traveling or how the collision occurred.

He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, the driver fled the scene, but was captured shortly later thanks to information provided by witnesses. Police arrested 29-year old Ontario resident James Manuel Avalos; no word yet on any possible charges.

This is the 78th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 11th in San Bernardino County. That compares to 74 SoCal deaths, and 10 in the San Bernardino County, for all of last year. It is also the third bicycling fatality in the City of Ontario since July — all hit-and-runs.

Clearly, something is seriously wrong there.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all his family and loved ones. 

Correction: I initially left off the last name of the suspect; he should have been identified as James Manuel Avalos, as I’ve now changed it above. Thanks to Allyson Vought for the catch.

12 comments

  1. fsethd says:

    Ted, I want you to know how much I appreciate your constant willingness to report on and discuss these accidents. It’s just numbing, even as a reader, much less as the person who has to dig out the facts and put it into prose. You humanize people when you do this and it’s just one of the reasons that your blog is the best bike blog anywhere, bar none. You are also building the real critical mass for change. I don’t know how or why or when, but people will not tolerate this slaughter forever, and when the thing flips it will be in large part because of the consciousness we all have thanks to writing like this. Keep up the terrible, depressing, outrageous work.

    • bikinginla says:

      Thank you, Seth. That really does mean a lot, especially coming from someone whose writing I admire.

      I have to admit, it takes a lot out of me sometimes. After dealing with my sadness and anger about this last night, I just couldn’t bring myself to get on my bike today, even though it may have been my only chance for a recreational ride this week.

      But I’ll keep doing it in the hopes that the last bike death I wrote about will be the last one I ever have to.

  2. bryan says:

    Drivers are really dangerous on this street be careful out there.

  3. Louie says:

    Sometimes I think it’s a good thing if they flee. At least with that, they can be hit with a hit-and-run charge. It’s pretty clear if you stay and claim, “I didn’t see the cyclist,” you’re free to go.

    Of course, that way works only if they’re caught.

    • bikinginla says:

      I’ve often thought I would have been better off if I’d let the road raging driver who hit knocked me off the bike flee the scene, rather than forcing her to stay by standing in front of her car. The police believed her made-up version of events, and ended up threatening me with arrest because someone falsely claimed I’d threatened her.

      If I’d let her run after getting her plate number, she would have been seen as less credible, and might have at least faced a hit-and-run charge, as you suggest.

      If you can get a cop to actually take a hit-and-run complaint seriously, that is.

  4. Lois says:

    Louie, you are so right.

  5. JD says:

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

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