Somehow, another one went under the radar.
Last Friday, news broke that an unidentified cyclist was severely injured in a Santa Ana hit-and-run. Unfortunately, he died from his injuries on Saturday — barely meriting two paragraphs in the Orange County Register.
No wonder I missed it.
The victim was riding on the 100 block of South Broadway when he was hit by a pickup around 6:45 pm Friday; paramedics found him lying unconscious in the roadway. The rider, identified today as 39-year old Elfego Lozano-Nicolas, was in critical condition when he was transported to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he died the next day from blunt-force head trauma.
The Register reports that the driver left before police arrived. Reading between the lines, it sounds like he may have stopped briefly before fleeing the scene — particularly since police have a detailed description of the truck.
Authorities described the vehicle as a white pickup, possibly a Toyota Tundra, with a ladder rack and ladders on top, as well as blue lettering running on the length of the truck. The pickup is missing a hubcap, which was left at the scene of the traffic accident.
Anyone with information is asked to call Santa Ana police at 714/245-8701
This is the fifth cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first in Orange County this year, following 13 last year. It’s also the second bike death in Santa Ana since last June.
Thanks to Louis for the heads-up.
I grew up living on a busy street in the Valley. We had at least one serious crash within 100 yards of our house at least every year. While I was living there, there were at least 10 late-night crashes involving parked cars.
Of those crashes, how many of the perpetrators that could have fled (e.g. car was drivable after the crash and they weren’t injured too badly), stuck around to take responsibility?
Zero. In absolutely every case, if the perpetrator was able to flee, they fled. And why? Not only to avoid responsibility for the damage, but to avoid getting caught for a DUI.
I read of bicyclists getting hit, and time and time again … if the perpetrator can flee, they do, leaving the victim to die like a dog in the street.
Why not? If they’re drunk or impaired, they might as well. As a hit and run, they’ll get less punishment then they would have if they were DUI. Jim Swarzman’s case is just one of many.
I’m flippin tired of it. It’s time to increase hit-and-run penalties so they are at LEAST commensurate with the punishments that would be on the table if the perpetrator were DUI when the crash occurred. Anything else is rewards drunks for leaving their victims bleeding and helpless on the road.