Tag Archive for Riverside County

62-year old man dies after he’s struck by a driver while bicycling in Palm Desert Tuesday night

Sadly, he didn’t make it.

Wednesday’s post included a brief mention of a bike rider who suffered major injuries when he was struck by a driver in Palm Desert Tuesday night.

Later yesterday, a notice from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department indicate the victim, later identified as 62-year old Indio resident Jay Groth, died from his injuries.

He was pronounced dead at 8:37 pm after being taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.

According to the sheriff’s department, the crash occurred around 7:30 pm Tuesday at Cook Street and Country Club Drive in Palm Desert.

The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

There’s no word on which direction the driver was traveling, where Groth was in the intersection, or any other details on how it happened. However, a street view shows combination bike and golf cart lanes on both Cook Street and Country Club.

Hopefully, we’ll learn more later.

Anyone with information is urged to call Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Sanchez at the Palm Desert Sheriff Station at 760/836–1600, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 800/782-7463.

This is at least the ninth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jay Groth and all his family and loved ones. 

Update: Bicyclist killed in Perris Collision Friday afternoon, no information on victim

Someone was killed riding a bicycle in Perris Friday afternoon.

But apparently, it’s asking too much to even release the most basic information about the victim, beyond their mode of transportation.

According to My News LA, the victim was riding at A Street and Redding Way around 2:55 pm when they allegedly rode through a stop sign, and was struck by a driver turning left onto eastbound A Street from Redding Way.

The victim died at the scene, despite the efforts of deputies to revive them.

The victim has not been publicly identified, and authorities have not released any description of the person killed.

Anyone with information is urged to call Community Service Officer Johnson of the Perris Sheriff’s Station at 951/210-1000, or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office at 951/776-1099.

This is at least the fourth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 54-year old Riverside resident Diane Rotarius. 

An autopsy is pending to determine her cause of death, which would seem to be apparent. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Diane Rotarius and her loved ones.

 

Man killed riding bike in Hemet collision Saturday; driver arrested for DUI

That didn’t take long.

Just days after the year’s first fatal bicycling hit-and-run, we’ve now seen the first fatal DUI involving someone on a bicycle in Southern California.

According to the Hemet Police Department, the victim was struck by a driver traveling north on San Jacinto Street near El Nita Lane in Hemet around 6:30 pm Saturday.

The victim, described only as an adult man, was trapped under the vehicle when paramedics arrived; he died after being taken to a local hospital.

The driver was arrested for driving under the influence. There’s no word on their identity, or whether they are suspected of being drunk or on some other intoxicant.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Hemet Police Department at 951/765-2400, and ask for Traffic Officer N. Reineke or Corporal C. Nicot, reference report #2024-00245, or email nreineke@hemetca.gov or cnicot@hemetca.gov.

This is at least the second bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

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

Man riding bicycle struck and killed by 2nd driver after Coachella hit-and-run; 19th fatal SoCal bike hit-and-run this year

A man riding a bicycle was struck by a hit-and-run driver in Coachella Thursday night, then left in the road for another motorist to finish the job.

Or maybe it was Indio. Or even Thermal.

Multiple sources reported on the crash, but couldn’t seem to agree on the location.

But Google Maps puts in it Coachella, so we’ll go with that.

The victim was reportedly riding south in the 54000 block of Grapefruit Blvd, north of Palm Street, when he was run down from behind by a heartless coward, who fled the scene, around 11:35 pm.

He was then struck by a second driver, who stuck around after the crash and called 911.

The victim was identified only as a 54-year old man from Coachella.

There’s no word on whether he was riding in the traffic lane when he was struck; a street view shows a two lane highway with a minimal paved shoulder he could have been using.

It’s also not clear how long after the initial impact he was struck by the second motorist, or if he could have survived if the first driver had the basic human decency to stop after hitting someone.

The second driver won’t face charges in the crash. The same can’t be said for the coward who fled.

Unfortunately, no description is available for vehicle used in the hit-and-run, or for the person driving it. Anyone with information is urged to call CHP Officer Windsor at 760/772-5300.

This is at least the 67th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

At least 19 of those SoCal bicyclists have been the victims of heartless hit-and-run drivers.

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

33-year old man riding bicycle killed by Riverside sheriff’s deputy in Palm Desert; 6th SoCal bike rider killed in past week

It just keeps coming.

For the sixth time in just seven days, someone has been killed riding a bicycle on the mean streets of Southern California.

And this time, the killer was an on-duty Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy in a marked patrol car.

Multiple sources are reporting that the victim, identified as 33-year old Palm Desert resident Christopher Thomas, was struck by the deputy around 3:40 am near the intersection of Country Club and Eldorado drives in Palm Desert.

Thomas died at the scene just seven minutes later, despite the efforts of deputies to revive him.

The deputy was not responding to a call, or using red lights and siren. The investigation has been taking over by the CHP.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know at this time.

Let’s just hope it’s not another case of a deputy distracted by his onboard computer.

This is at least the 41st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

It’s also the second person killed riding a bike in the county in the past week.

My deepest prayers and sympathy for Christopher Thomas and his loved ones.

Thanks to Jeffrey Rusk for the heads-up.

58-year old man killed in early morning Mecca hit-and-run; at least 14th bike rider killed in SoCal hit-and-run this year

Another day, another person riding a bicycle killed in a SoCal hit-and-run.

According to Palm Springs’ KESQ-3, a man was found lying in the street after being struck by a driver while riding on 66th Ave, just east of SR-86 in Mecca, sometime around 1:30 am Saturday.

The victim, described only as a 58-year old homeless man, died at the scene.

There’s no description of the driver or suspect vehicle at this time.

This is at least the 37th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

Gurrola was also at least the 14th person killed in a hit-and-run while riding a bicycle in Southern California since the first of the year.

My deepest prayers and sympathy for Jacinto Ayala Gurrola and his loved ones. 

 

Three-year old Odalys Navarro killed by hit-and-run dirt bike rider in Mead Valley; 17 year old boy arrested

Some things are just too sad to process.

Like the needless death of a toddler as she rides a bike next to her mother.

And the arrest of a teenaged boy for the hit-and-run that took her life.

The Los Angeles Times reports that three-year old Odalys Navarro died Monday, four days after she was run down from behind by someone on a dirt bike as she rode her bicycle in the rural Riverside County community of Mead Valley.

Her mother, who is five months pregnant, was also seriously injured in the August 31st crash.

The CHP places that crash near the intersection of Steele Peak Drive and Palm Street shortly after 7:30 pm, as they were coming home from the park on the dirt sidewalk.

The motorcycle rider fled the scene.

This is how Rubi Navarro, the victim’s mother, described the crash on a crowdfunding page.

It was a Thursday afternoon 8/31 that was supposed to be filled with joy and laughter, tragedy struck. A hit-and-run incident involving a motorcycle left my child and myself lying on the ground, fighting for our lives. It is difficult to put into words the pain and anguish my family has endured since that fateful day.

My little girl, who was only 3 years old going on to 4 in about a month and I were walking home from the park when the motorcycle came out of nowhere. The impact was severe, leaving both of us with life-threatening injuries. The reckless driver, without a shred of humanity, callously fled the scene, leaving my family shattered and broken.

CHP investigators later found the suspect and his dirt bike, and booked the 17-year old boy on charges of vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run causing fatal injuries.

His name was withheld because he’s a juvenile. Which means that, unless he’s charged as an adult, he can only be held until he turns 21, even if he’s convicted.

The crowdfunding campaign to pay Odalys Navarro’s funeral costs, and her and her mother’s medical expenses, has raised a little more than $5,000 of the $25,000 goal.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the CHP’s Riverside investigators at 951/637-8000.

This is at least the 34th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and sixth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

There’s nothing sadder than a ghost bike for a child.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Odalys Navarro and all her family.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up. 

Bicyclist killed in early morning Moreno Valley crash; few details available

Once again, a bike rider has been killed in Riverside County.

And once again, we know next to nothing.

According to My News LA, someone riding a bicycle was struck by a driver on eastbound Alessandro Boulevard at Graham Street in Moreno Valley around 5:20 am Tuesday.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was taken to nearby Riverside University Medical Center suffering from severe injuries, and died shortly later.

The driver of a Kia Optima remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know at this time.

A street view shows a painted bike lane on Alessandro, running between the two through lanes and a right turn bay. However, we have no way of knowing at this time if that may have contributed to the crash in any way.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Riverside County Sheriff’s Moreno Valley station at 951/486-6700.

This is at least the 31st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and their loved ones.

42-year old Lake Elsinore man killed while riding bike in Canyon Lake collision Saturday night

Evidently, this past weekend wasn’t as safe as it seemed.

News broke earlier Monday that a man was killed riding a bike in Riverside County’s Canyon Lake Saturday night.

According to NBC Palm Springs, the victim was riding at Railroad Canyon Road and Canyon Lake Drive when he was struck by a motorist around 9:50 pm.

The victim was later identified as 42-year old Lake Elsinore resident Kennan Ruiz.

A street view shows a painted bike lane in both directions on Railroad Canyon, but nothing on Canyon Lake Drive.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know at this time. There’s no word on how or why the crash happened, or whether the driver was held accountable in any way.

Anyone with information is urged to call Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Petersen at 951/245-3000.

This follows news that a Reseda father is on life support after he was struck by a driver while riding his bike to work Thursday morning.

This is at least the 18th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Kennan Ruiz and all his loved ones. 

53-year old San Diego father Paul Fox died from heatstroke suffered while mountain biking south of Palm Springs

Sad news from Palm Springs, where a San Diego father died from heatstroke earlier this month after mountain biking outside the city.

According to San Diego’s 10 News, Paul Fox, a 53-year old father of three from the city’s Del Cero neighborhood, met a friend at the Palm Canyon Epic Trail south of Palm Springs in late April for what was planned as a three-hour ride.

However, despite GPS, they took a wrong turn somewhere along the trail, and ran out of water as three hours turned into six in temperatures up to 105°F.

Fox reportedly stopped suddenly and stepped off his bike acting dazed and confused, before collapsing and rolling down a hill.

He died in the hospital May 9th from complications due to heatstroke.

Fox, who a friend described as kind, funny and brilliant, worked as a computer network security specialist, including a four-year stint at the White House in the mid-2000s.

He was a lifelong mountain biker.

A crowdfunding campaign to benefit his family has raised a little more than $9,300 of the whopping $1 million goal.

This is at least the 17th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

And a reminder to always carry more water than you think you’ll need.