Once again, a bike rider has lost his life at the hands of a hit-and-run driver.
But this time, the police have given him — or her — a ready-made excuse for the crime.
According to a statement by the LAPD, 24-year old Maywood resident Jaime Ramirez was killed by the driver of a semi-truck at Lynwood Ave and 8th Street in Boyle Heights around 9:30 pm Friday night.
Ramirez was riding south on Lynwood, splitting lanes between a car and the semi, when he either lost control of his bike or was hit by one of the drivers as he neared 8th, and somehow fell under the rear wheels of the truck.
The driver kept going without stopping, failing to notice — or ignoring — a witness chasing behind in his car, honking and flashing his lights.
Despite frantic efforts to save his life, Ramirez died at the scene.
Unfortunately the driver received an alibi in advance, courtesy of the LAPD, who said he or she may not be aware they’d hit anyone.
So now all the driver has to do to get away with it is claim just that, regardless of whether it has any basis in fact.
The truck was described as an all-white semi with sleeper cab and a box trailer, and no visible logos or other markings, California license 4MY4587. Police believe the driver may be on the way to Fresno.
As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward from the City of Los Angeles for any fatal hit-and-run.
This is at least the 32nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 13th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the seventh in the City of Los Angeles.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jaime Ramirez and all his family and loved ones.
Thanks to Megan Lynch and John Dammon for the heads-up.
https://twitter.com/LAPDCTD24/status/1134978265284636672
We offer up our prayers for the family and friends of Mr. Ramirez.
Simple concept, you are responsible for all wrecks whether you know about it or not. Impaired driving violation added to any other violations/charges for not knowing about being in a wreck, including the hit-and-run. I’m getting real tired of people running around not knowing where their loaded WMDs are pointing.
sorry, I almost always side w the bike rider but in this case: no. there is video on the news. he was lane splitting slowed traffic, that is dangerous when motorcyclists do it, and it’s dangerous when bicyclists do it. in the video, you don’t see what causes him to crash, maybe a side view mirror clipped him or he clipped a side view mirror. but if in fact he fell and was run over by the rear wheels of the semi as the witness described, the driver will not feel a thing. if you’re sitting in a cab of a semi, you’re not gonna feel a thing if the rear wheels run over something. semi can weigh 40 tons! and the rig is not rigidly attached to the semi.
Yeah, same. Usually I’m all about siding with the pedestrian or the bicyclists when accidents happen. But in this case, the cyclist was performing a risky move that isn’t in standing with the rules of the road and the trucker probably didn’t even realize he had run over anything. Sharing the road means everyone has a responsibility to follow the laws. It doesn’t work otherwise. Very sad for the loss of life here, but I wouldn’t jump and demonize the truck driver here.