Unbelievable.
Starting around 6:50 pm Wednesday, 49-year old Satnam Singh of Ventura allegedly went on a drunken rampage on that city’s Telegraph Road, leaving trail of victims in his in wake.
Five people were injured — including a mother and her 13-year old daughter riding their bikes single file in the bike lane. Tragically, 20-year old Ventura College student Nick Haverland was killed while riding his bike with a friend on their way to take their last finals, just three miles from the school.
A police spokesman said Singh was traveling westbound on his way home from his job in Santa Paula when the carnage began, first hitting the two women, leaving them with injuries including broken bones. He then fled the scene before plowing into a pickup stopped for a red light at Petit Avenue, injuring a couple and their 16 year-old son.
Once again, he kept going, eventually drifting into the bike lane to smash into Haverland near the intersection of Mara Avenue; a witness reports an extremely hard collision, apparently killing Haverland instantly.
Again, he fled from the scene, this time followed by a witness — possibly the friend Haverland had been riding with — eventually stopping at his home on the 100 block of Kennedy Avenue, just one block south of Telegraph.
When police arrived, Singh was still sitting inside his vehicle, which some have identified as a Hummer H3; the vehicle had significant damage, and police were unable to open the driver’s side door as a result. Singh refused to exit his Hummer, resulting in a 20 minute standoff.
Police eventually entered from the rear hatch and dragged Singh out; he was reportedly taken to Ventura County Medical Center for treatment of bite wounds from police dogs.
It’s just too bad that the drunken S.O.B. was probably too intoxicated to feel them.
Inexplicably, the police report identified the exact address of Singh’s home, almost inviting retaliatory attacks against the driver; like the other press reports, I’m refraining from posting it here or linking to the report for that reason.
I hope everyone has the sense to refrain from retaliation and let the justice system do its job.
Singh was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony hit-and-run and felony DUI. The investigation is ongoing, and hopefully will result in adding murder charge for Haverland’s death.
The first collision could have been the result of a drunken error. But it’s difficult to argue that by the third collision, it was anything but an intentional act.
According to the Ventura County Star, Haverland was a 2009 graduate of Ventura’s Foothill Technology High School. His former principal describes him as “a great kid,” reporting that both staff and students are very upset by the news.
As an aside, Rex Reese emailed that Singh’s name is an anagram for Man Ass Thing.
Works for me.
One thing is certain. Life as he knew it is over for Singh.
Life for Haverland is just over.
My heartfelt sympathy to the family and friend’s of Nick Haverland, and best wishes to all the victims.
This whole situation is horrid but three things are outstanding: 1. From the reports I heard (KTLA this morning) the witness who followed the H3 was the other bicyclist; 2. they sent police dogs in after the suspect when he refused to get out of his car; and 3. they finally have appropriate charges against him. Maybe this can be a case to set a proper standard for harming and/or killing bicyclists.
Obviously the tragedy of the injuries and the death of Nick Haverland outweigh anything good that can come of this case. But I might have allegedly cheered when I heard about the police dogs.
And I might have allegedly smiled when I read that. Thanks for the first good laugh I’ve had all day.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s inmate locator page, Singh is in custody with bail set at $500,000. He has an arraignment set for tomorrow morning in Room #13 at the Courthouse on 800 S. Victoria in Ventura. Case #2011016980
That’s a high bail for a case like this. Valencia was held on $1.1 million, but he also had three priors. Hopefully it’s an indication of how seriously they’re taking this case.
Re: high bail – perhaps connections to the old country, the means to travel there, hence a probable high flight risk?
Entirely possible.
Correction: Arraignment is set for 1:30 pm tomorrow.
I’m glad to see that none of the media coverage has mentioned whether the deceased victim was wearing a helmet. It’s most likely irrelevant in a collision with a Hummer.
I hadn’t noticed that, but you’re right. I read over 20 news stories in preparing this piece, and not one mentioned helmet use. Maybe the press is finally starting to get it.
I am so sorry for this young man and his family. You think you are doing a good thing by riding your bike to school rather than burning gas. You are bonding with your child on a bike ride. Little do you know that at any moment someone can take it all from you. I think it’s obvious this guy was hitting these people on purpose. I am a cyclist. Every time I get on my bike I pray for protection. Now I am praying for this family. Kim
Someone is in big trouble here.
Kim
Un-effing-bee-leevable. We get some crazies here in TX, but that takes the cake. Chain him to the steering wheel, then send the Hummer through a shredder… on fire. On live national TV so that other drivers can see what will happen if they use their vehicles as weapons against pedestrians and cyclists. I think Speed TV would be a great place to show that about 4 times a day.
Like.
Like too. But on VS. After the Tour of California stage of the day. Seriously.
I would like know what is going on with singh
Nothing much is happening at the moment. As you may recall, the charges against Singh were amended in June to include a count of 2nd degree murder.
Dj Wheels reports that an Early Disposition Conference was held on Tuesday, and continued to September. My guess is that we won’t see a trial until next year, but that’s just a guess.
[…] Satnam Singh, the driver charged with murdering Ventura cyclist Nick Haverland in a drunken rampage last May, had a potentially fatal level of alcohol in his system when he killed Haverland and injured five other people. […]