According to the San Bernardino Sun, 15-year old Ricardo Gilberto Lizarraga was killed when he was hit by a Metrolink train around 6:20 pm Thursday.
Lizarraga was reportedly riding northbound on Sierra Avenue when he rode across the tracks into the path of the eastbound train. Google street view shows railroad crossing signals at the site, so if they were working, he should have been aware of the train coming.
This is the 34th confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 1st in San Bernardino County. Lizarraga is also the 3rd SoCal cyclist killed in a collision with a train in 2011.
Update: According to Inland News Today, the gates were lowered and the warning lights were flashing at the time of the collision; the site reports that he was using earbuds and may not have been able to hear the train. And yet, he would have had to have the music exceptionally loud to drown out a train — and that still doesn’t explain how he missed the signals.
wow..google maps show signs from like years ago..if i google my address it shows a car we had like 6 years ago.
This is so sad.. how come he didnt hear or see the train coming?? was is sucide??
I get mad every time I read one of these bike v. train wreck stories, because this is the easiest kind of wreck to prevent. The train can only be in one place, on the train tracks. So to not get hit by a train all you need to do is pay attention when you cross the tracks, and don’t cross when there is a train coming. It really is that simple. But kids are impulsive and always in a hurry and overly sure of their abilities (ask me about the time I overhauled a car engine, it’s hilarious), and think they can beat the train. Sometimes they can, sometimes they can’t. I hate it when they can’t.
how did this happen? cant u hear and see the train..??
I’ve added an update above indicating that that he was wearing headbuds and may not have been able to hear the train approaching. However, the warning gates wear working, and as Opus points out, there’s no mistaking where a train will be. Unless he had his eyes closed as well, he should have been aware of the train.
lets all just pray for his family and leave it at that
from what i heard he was also under the influence of marihuana.
this is rickys cousin he was not under the influence so plz keep your damn comments to your self
he was under the influence the guy he was with said that they just smoked so guess u dint know
i knw ricky and his loss has been hard on everyone he was so full of life i always pass by tht metro and let me say tht theyre full of shit once the metro was passing and those sticks didnt even come dwn i had my daughter in the car with me it made me so angry because i lost a friend so they need to start fixing them