Sadly, he didn’t make it.
Wednesday’s post included a brief mention of a bike rider who suffered major injuries when he was struck by a driver in Palm Desert Tuesday night.
Later yesterday, a notice from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department indicate the victim, later identified as 62-year old Indio resident Jay Groth, died from his injuries.
He was pronounced dead at 8:37 pm after being taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.
According to the sheriff’s department, the crash occurred around 7:30 pm Tuesday at Cook Street and Country Club Drive in Palm Desert.
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
There’s no word on which direction the driver was traveling, where Groth was in the intersection, or any other details on how it happened. However, a street view shows combination bike and golf cart lanes on both Cook Street and Country Club.
Hopefully, we’ll learn more later.
Anyone with information is urged to call Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Sanchez at the Palm Desert Sheriff Station at 760/836–1600, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 800/782-7463.
This is at least the ninth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in Riverside County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jay Groth and all his family and loved ones.
That’s the third bike fatality on Country Club in Palm Desert within a mile of Cook St in the last 5 years, the most recent being December 2023; enough that I will now call that street near where I live “blood alley.” I stick to the wide, ample landscaped sidepaths there, being extra vigilant at intersections to avoid a right hook.
This is the 3rd cycling fatality on Country Club near Cook in Palm Desert in the past 5 years. Wide sidepaths provide a safer option if you’re extra careful at intersections.