The LA Times reports that a federal judge says he’s inclined to release the dashcam video of the shooting of an unarmed man in Gardena.
Ricardo Diaz-Zeferino was coming to the aid of two friends helping to look for his brother’s stolen bike when he was shot and killed by Gardena police last year.
The judge agreed there was a clear public interest in releasing the video, as requested by the Times and other media companies, noting that it’s hard to argue that the shooting was legal after the city agreed to a $4.7 million settlement to be funded by taxpayers.
Maybe he should tell that to the LA County DA’s office.
A final ruling on releasing the video could come as soon as today.
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Montebello police are looking for a Ford pickup in the hit-and-run death of 24-year old Steven Garcia as he was riding his bike home from work last week. Anyone with information is urged to call Montebello police Cpl. J. Dresser at 323/887-1212, ex. 353 or Cpl. R. Yap, ex. 337.
Although they could have offered a little better description of the suspect vehicle. There are a lot of Ford trucks out there.
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KCBS-2 picks up yesterday’s lead story about the CHP officer dangerously buzzing two cyclists on Glendora Mountain Road.
I’m told the CHP’s Southern Division HQ is looking into the video, so something may actually be done about it for a change.
Thanks to Erik Griswold for the heads-up.
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VeloNews looks at the highs and lows of the first full week of racing in the Tour de France. A TV station reports on the day’s happenings on the Tour’s first rest day, while Teejay van Garderen makes it the Fab Five.
Sadly, Ivan Basso was forced to drop out after he was diagnosed with a testicular tumor; there’s a high probability it’s cancerous, but more tests are needed to be sure. His withdrawal could adversely affect teammate Alberto Contador’s chances, but what really matters is his full and fast recovery.
A Billings MT cyclist endures rain, hail, snow, calf-deep mud and hallucinations to compete in the 2,745-mile off-road Tour Divide; another rider says the hardest part is knowing when to quit.
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Local
It’s been a busy day for the Times, as they look at the PCH safety study recently approved by the Malibu city council; the study lists 120 proposed improvements to the roadway, including bike lanes on part of the highway, along with another 30 recommendations for Caltrans.
KPCC’s Air Talk program discusses the Times’ report on the county’s 817 most dangerous intersections.
CiclaValley appears on the Bike Talk internet/radio program.
A new Replace Your Ride program will give you transit vouchers up to $4,500 if you turn in your gas-guzzling car. But not a penny if you trade it for a bike, damn it; thanks to Day One for the link.
Black Kids on Bikes and the Ride On! Bike co-op bring the Leimert Park community together with an open air tune-up session.
The 12-year old daughter of a space shuttle astronaut was found riding her bike in the Torrance/Redondo Beach area after being missing for 24 hours.
State
It took a bike-riding tourist to save the life of a 37-year old woman who collapsed from a massive heart attack while jogging in Carlsbad last year.
The wife of the Afghan refugee killed by an allegedly distracted driver while riding his bike in Sacramento feels lost without him; the family arrived in the US just a few weeks ago, after the electrical engineer risked his life by aiding US forces in Afghanistan. His 8-year old son also suffered life-threatening injuries.
A 36-year old man was killed in a hit-and-run while riding on the coast highway near Fort Bragg in NorCal.
National
California’s retiring Senator Barbara Boxer wins support for bike lanes and sidewalks in the new federal transportation bill.
Good news and bad news, as a new bikeshare study says yes, it provides economic and health benefits and encourages new cyclists, but there’s no proof that bike-sharing programs reduces congestion, gets people out of their cars or helps the environment.
The New York Times looks at the national trend of bike training classes for bicycling-challenged adults.
Not everyone supports Boulder CO’s removal of traffic lanes to make way for wider bike lanes. Shocking, I know.
An Illinois cyclist is nominated for ESPN’s ESPYAward, 20 years after losing his right arm in a construction accident.
Don’t try this at home. A 46-year old Pennsylvania man was killed trying to jump a homemade bike ramp on a children’s bike. Actually, it was probably a BMX bike, which most police departments don’t seem to be familiar with.
An exhibit at the Smithsonian looks at the impact bicycles have had on modern society.
A New Orleans man faces manslaughter and felony hit-and-run charges in the death of a bike-riding artist last week.
The Florida bike rider who crashed hard after slipping in the remains of a dead alligator on the roadway is making a slow recovery, with new titanium plates in his cheeks, forehead and clavicle; his wife calls him Titanium Tim. Now all he needs is a new Ti bike when he gets back to riding.
International
Toronto police bust a man for stealing a $19,000 custom made racing bike. Of course, that’s only $14,800 US.
Brazil’s Pan Am cycling team is escorted off a major highway by police after taking a very wrong turn.
Finally…
Caught on video: A BMX rider lands the first quadruple backflip. A Pasadena motorist is caught on video playing acid jazz on a recorder while driving with no hands in moving traffic — and right next to a patrol car, no less.
And speaking of distracted driving, a Brit woman rear-ended a van, apparently because she was pleasuring herself with a vibrator while driving.
Then again, I once encountered something similar, myself.
