This week just keeps getting worse.
As if the death of a ebike-riding woman and her unborn baby in Playa del Rey wasn’t bad enough, now we’re learning that a man was killed by a delivery truck driver while riding his bike in Hemet on Sunday.
According to Valley News, the victim was hit with the truck while attempting to cross Florida Ave and Hamilton Ave at 6:49 pm.
He was reportedly attempting to cross Florida on Hamilton when he allegedly rode out in front of the westbound truck.
A Hemet cop on patrol witnessed the immediate aftermath of the crash, and attempted to perform life-saving measures on the victim, who was identified later as 40-year old Hemet resident Ricardo Olvera Hernandez.
He died at the scene.
The driver remained after the crash and cooperated with investigators, who do not believe he was under the influence.
A street view shows the intersection is controlled only by a two-way stop sign on Hamilton, with no bike infrastructure on either street.
The story doesn’t say which direction Hernandez was riding, but it’s possible he just didn’t make it across the five lane street before the truck caught up with him.
Anyone with information is urged to call Hemet Police Corporal Coley at 951/765-2400, file #2026-00837.
This the tenth bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in Riverside County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Ricardo Olvera Hernandez and his loved ones.
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