This is not how any of us wanted to start the week.
Because once again, a motor vehicle has become a weapon of mass destruction in the wrong hands, killing one man and severely injuring two others.
And once again, on PCH in Huntington Beach.
According to multiple sources, the victims were run down, apparently from behind, while riding in the bike lane on southbound PCH just north of Newland Street around 6:45 this morning.
That would put it in the vicinity of Lifeguard Station 13.
Police arrived to find the victims strewn in the traffic lane, their shattered bicycles on the side of the road.
One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene; he has not been publicly identified at this time.
However, KTLA-5 reported on air that the victims were members of a Long Beach bike club.
The driver fled the scene, but was arrested after stopping on the side of the road about half-a-mile away. Given the damage to the victims and their bikes, it’s likely her 2006 Mercedes E-Class wasn’t in drivable condition.
Police identified her as 43-year old Long Beach resident Amber Calderon, who was booked on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, gross vehicular manslaughter, felony DUI and possession of narcotics.
If she has a previous DUI on her record, those charges would likely be upgraded to murder.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash. However, under California law, DUI can be considered a contributing factor, but not the proximate cause of any collision.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team of the Huntington Beach Police Department at 714/536-5670.
This is at least the 48th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in Orange County.
Drivers have fled the scene in 16 of those SoCal crashes, or one out of every three fatal crashes involving someone on a bicycle since the first of the year.
Then there’s this.
This is insane – and it happens weekly here in Southern California. One of my coworkers was run down while cycling less than 6 months into his well earned retirement. @bikinginla.bsky.social #BikeSky
My deepest sympathy and prayers for all the victims and their loved ones. And best wishes for a full and fast recovery for the survivors.
Thanks to Michael, Zachary, and James Johnson for the heads-up.
Heard it was some of the Long Beach Freddie’s. Prayers to all !
Awful. Will contact old cycling friends for details. That was our regular route almost every morning.
When I was still in CA and rideing 5-6 days a week from Long Beach to Newport and back I had a punishment pass from some doof in a Ford Expedition. I was legally riding just clear of a row of parked cars and my only crime was being on the road. This “person” was less than a couple of inches away – if even that far. It was ALL catpured on my video and when I went to the Huntington Beach PD to file a complaint, they refused to do anything stating they were not there to see it! Even though I had captured the entire episode with my front and rear camera, showing a clear picture of the driver and the license plate they would do nothing.
I blame the HB PD for not protecting us with this lack of enforcement and by allowing this constant vehicular harrasment to continue without repercussions.
This is terrible news. But that stretch of the PCH is too dangerous. I quit riding it years ago especially in dim lighting like this incident. Riding next to Cars going 45-65 mph leaves no room for error. It just is not worth it.