When someone is injured while riding a bicycle, we often never find out what happened after they are rushed to the hospital.
Today we did. And the answer was not the one we wanted.
The Orange County Coroner announced that 52-year old Yorba Linda resident Angel Preciado passed away late Monday, five weeks after he was hit by a motor vehicle in Yorba Linda.
The Coroner’s release places the collision around 7:13 am on January 12th, at Imperial Highway east of Eureka Avenue.
According to the Orange County Register, he was riding in a crosswalk on Imperial when he was left crossed by a truck turning from southbound Eureka onto Imperial. He was taken UCI Medical Center in Orange, where he remained in a coma until he was pronounced dead at 10:30 pm Monday.
A satellite view shows crosswalks on both sides of Imperial. The description of the wreck would place Preciado in the east crosswalk; no word on which direction he was riding.
The Register reports the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.
Much will depend on how the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s office interprets the law allowing cyclists to ride in a crosswalk. While state law permits crosswalk riding where bicyclists are allowed to ride on the sidewalk — which appears to be the case in Yorba Linda — it is often misinterpreted to say cyclists must walk in crosswalks or may only ride in the direction of traffic.
Preciado, who grew up in Venice Beach, was described as “an awesome, generous, loving guy,” who friends loved and could count on.
His roommate and best friend said they had both lived on the streets for some time before they were taken in by friends in Yorba Linda.
He said Preciado had borrowed a friends bike to run an errand; the next thing he knew, he was awakened by sheriff’s deputies dropping off the bike, which was unscathed.
This is the 17th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth in Orange County. And it’s the first reported bicycling fatality in Yorba Linda in the past five years.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Angel Preciado and his loved ones.
This is really sad, but I hope Angel Preciado’s friends and family will remember him with a smile.