Archive for Injuries and Fatalities

Update: Innocent bike rider becomes collateral damage in South LA police chase; victim identified as Colombian man

April 24, 2024 / / No comments

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

We’ve seen a number of police chases in recent years that resulted in close calls with people riding bicycles, with riders nearly struck by fleeing drivers.

Now you can remove “nearly” from that statement.

According to multiple sources, a man was killed while riding his bike in South LA Wednesday morning, collateral damage to a burglary suspect attempting to speed away from pursuing cops.

The incident began when the suspect allegedly tried to break into a vehicle near East 48th and Central Streets in South LA, and attempted to flee in his car with the owner of the vehicle in close pursuit.

The LAPD took over the chase near 48th Street and Central Ave, pursuing the suspect through several area streets before he slammed into the victim at 46th and Hopper Ave around 6:12 am, while reportedly driving on the wrong side of the roadway.

The victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was sent flying through the air, landing next to his badly damaged bicycle. A witness description suggests that he likely died instantly upon impact.

The driver lost control after the crash, smashing into eight other vehicles before rolling his car, coming to rest upside down in the street. He reportedly attempted to flee on foot before being taken into custody.

He will likely face yet to be determined felony charges, according to police.

One of which should be murder.

This is at least the 14th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the third in the City of Los Angeles.

And yet another tragic reminder of the dangers police chases pose to innocent bystanders.

Update: The victim has been identified as 46-year old Colombian native Jose David Monsalve Rojas. 

According to KTLA-5, 

A GoFundMe page set up by loved ones describes Monsalve Rojas as a father of five who left Colombia in search of a better life and had a dream, they said, of curing his daughter’s liver disease.

“Imagine, a regular morning now turned into a day we’ll never forget,” the campaign organizer wrote. “David touched lives in ways that words can barely capture. A soul so deeply devoted to his children.”

So far, the crowdfunding page has raised less than $700 of the modest $5,000 goal. 

Meanwhile, the speeding driver who struck Rojas with her Chevrolet Suburban SUV was ID’d as 23-year old Germaine Smith.

Smith is being held on $327,000 bond after being booked for felony evading causing death, as well as additional outstanding warrants,

Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Traffic Group Detectives at 213/486-0690; information can be provided anonymously online or by calling 800/222-8477.

My deepest sympathy for Jose David Monsalve Rojas and all his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , , ,

35-year old man killed riding salmon in Oxnard collision Sunday night; victim identified as Oxnard resident Joey Paquet

April 24, 2024 / / No comments

Sometimes it helps to wait a few days to write something, because the story can change.

That’s what happened when a man was killed riding his bicycle in Oxnard Sunday night.

Despite initial reports that the victim was a 45-year old North Hollywood man, he was later identified as 35-year old Oxnard resident Joey Paquet.

According to an updated story from the Ventura County Star, Paquet was riding against traffic on Oxnard Blvd at the northbound offramp to the 101 Freeway around 9:40 pm, when he was struck by a driver turning right off the offramp.

He died at the scene.

The driver of the SUV remained following the crash and cooperated with investigators; police don’t suspect the driver was under the influence.

Anyone with information is urged to call Oxnard Police Traffic Investigator Raul Camacho at 805/200-5668.

A crowdfunding campaign to pay Paquet’s funeral expenses has raised a little more than $2,700 towards the modest $4,000 goal. Commenters on the page described Paquet as a bright light who brought kindness and positivity to their neighborhood.

This is at least the 13th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of this year in Ventura County.

And it’s one more tragic reminder to always ride with traffic when you’re riding on the roadway.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Joey Paquet and all his family and loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

Update: Young man riding bicycle killed in Wilmington hit-and-run — 3rd fatal LA County bike hit-and-run this year

April 11, 2024 / / No comments

News is just coming in that a bike rider was killed in a Wilmington hit-and-run Thursday night.

According to KCBS/KCAL News, the victim, described only as a man in his 20s, was struck by a driver around 8:45 pm while riding at Wilmington Blvd and West G Street.

He died at the scene.

There’s no word on how the crash occurred, and no description of the heartless coward who left him there to die, or the vehicle they were driving.

There is a bike lane in both directions on Wilmington, with the intersection controlled only by stop signs on West G.

Hopefully, we’ll learn more soon.

This is at least the 12th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of already this year in Los Angeles County; it’s also the second in the City of Los Angeles.

Five of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs, as have all of the deaths in LA County.

As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the driver in any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.

Update: The victim has been identified as 28-year old Wilmington resident Junior Valle.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Junior Valle and his loved ones.

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Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , ,

Update: 32-year old Jaime Gutierrez killed in collision while riding a bicycle in Good Hope collision

April 6, 2024 / / No comments

Good Hope wasn’t good or hopeful for someone riding a bicycle Saturday evening.

According to My News LA, the victim was struck by a driver around 5:14 pm on state Highway 74 at Taylor Road, in the unincorporated section of Riverside County.

Actually, the story said the victim was struck by Tacoma Pickup, as if the driver had nothing to do with it.

A witness reported the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was lying on the dirt along the right-hand shoulder of the highway. They died at the scene.

The driver stopped and remained following the crash.

There’s no word on the victim’s age or sex at this time. There’s also no information on how the crash happened, or who may have been at fault. Or even which direction they were traveling.

This is at least the 12th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of already this year in Riverside County.

Update: This victim has been identified as 32-year old Perris resident Jaime Gutierrez. No details available.

Update 2: A crowdfunding campaign to help pay for his funeral has raised a little over $3,700 of the $30,000 goal. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jaime Gutierrez and all his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

55-year old Michael Sorensen killed in Simi Valley collision, after allegedly running stop sign on his bike

March 26, 2024 / / 3 comments

A Simi Valley man was killed after running a stop sign on his bicycle.

Allegedly.

According to the Ventura County Star, 55-year old Michael Sorensen was riding south on Quimisa Drive in Simi Valley at 1 pm Tuesday, when he tried to make a left turn onto West Los Angeles Ave, reportedly running the stop sign in the process.

Sorensen was struck by a driver traveling west on Los Angeles. He died at the scene.

The T-shaped intersection doesn’t have a stop sign on Los Angeles, which has a 50 mph speed limit. A bend in the road could have hidden the car from Sorensen’s view until it was too late, especially if the driver was exceeding the speed limit by even a few miles.

The driver remained on scene and cooperated with police, and did not appear to be impaired.

Whether Sorensen actually ran the stop sign depends on whether there were any independent witnesses aside from the driver who may have seen whether he stopped, particularly since the driver’s view of Sorensen could have been obstructed by the bend in the road.

Anyone with information is urged to call Simi Valley Police Officer Bryan Sarfaty at 805/583-6189, or email bsarfaty@simivalley.org.

This is at least the 11th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in Ventura County.

However, it’s the second bicycling death in Simi Valley in three months.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Michael Sorensen and all his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: 48-year old man found dead near his bicycle on Coast Highway in Encinitas, no sign of collision

March 18, 2024 / / No comments

Sometimes, there are no easy explanations.

That appears to be the case in Encinitas, where a man was found dead near his bicycle early Sunday morning.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the victim was discovered lying in the northbound bike lane on South Coast Highway south of Chesterfield Drive, near the Chart House restaurant, around 12:07 am.

He died at the scene, despite the efforts of paramedics. He was identified only as a 48-year old man, although the U-T says he was believed to be an Encinitas resident.

Sheriff’s investigators report there was no sign of a collision, and suspect the victim may have had a solo crash.

However, it’s also possible that he could have lost control of his bike after being sideswiped, or been the victim of an overly close pass. Or just as likely that his death could have been caused by a medical condition or a problem with the road surface.

There’s also no indication whether drug or alcohol use may have played a role.

Anyone with information about the crash is urged to call the Traffic Division at the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station at 760/966-3500.

This is at least the tenth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 48-year old Ryan Currie; no city of residence was given. 

A sergeant with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department indicated that Currie was not wearing a helmet when he was found, however, there’s no indication yet that he suffered a head injury, which is the only reason that would matter.  

He placed the location where Currie was found on the 2700 block of South Coast Highway 101, near the Welcome to Cardiff sign. There is no indication at this time that Currie was struck by a vehicle.

Photos circulating online show evidence of the crash where the curbs for the protected bike lanes begin, leading some to conclude that they were the proximate cause of Currie’s crash. 

While the curbs could have been difficult to see after dark, especially if there was no light on Currie’s bike, there is nothing yet to confirm that his bike hit one of the curbs, or that they actually led to his fall.

Update 2: According to the Union-Tribune, Currie was not wearing a helmet, and toxicology reports are still pending to determine if he was under the influence. It’s also unclear if the light built into his cruiser bike was working at the time of the crash, despite the lack of lighting along the roadway. 

Compounding the tragedy, Currie’s four children have now been orphaned by the crash, after their mother passed away five years ago. 

According to a biography posted online by Spieker Senior Development Partners, Currie worked in the continuing care retirement community field, owning several projects. He was a graduate of West Point and served as a U.S. Army captain with the 101st Airborne Division, according to his bio. Messages left with the development company were not returned.

Currie and his late wife, Megan, were high school sweethearts and married in 2000, a year after she graduated from college, according to her obituary.

The obituary said she died in 2019 at the age of 41 after a long battle with cancer. The couple had four children.

A count by bike advocate Serge Issakov suggests that 32 bicyclists have been injured riding on the protected bikeway since it was installed in 2020. There is an argument to be made that the low asphalt curbs could be difficult to see, especially after dark.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Ryan Currie and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Phillip Young and Malcomb Watson for the heads-up.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , ,

62-year old man dies after he’s struck by a driver while bicycling in Palm Desert Tuesday night

March 14, 2024 / / 2 comments

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. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , ,

Bicyclist struck and killed by two drivers in Vista collision, one driver fled the scene

March 9, 2024 / / No comments

Two drivers combined to strike and kill someone riding a bicycle in Vista Thursday night.

But only one had the basic human decency to stick around afterwards.

Multiple sources are reporting that the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was “bumped” by a driver on South Melrose Drive at Buena Vista Drive around 10:28 pm Thursday.

He was then struck by a second driver.

The first one stuck around and cooperated investigators. The second didn’t, reportedly fleeing north on Melrose; investigators are looking for a white SUV or crossover, which may have front-end damage.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

There’s no information on how the crash occurred. However, it sounds like the initial impact may have been minor, and could have been survivable if the second driver had stopped in time.

There’s also no word on whether either driver may have been speeding, driving distracted or under the influence.

There appears to be a buffered bike lane on Melrose, which has a 45 mph speed limit. That speed could have contributed to both the force of the impact, as well as the inability of the second driver to avoid the victim.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 888/580-8477. There’s a $1,000 reward for any details that lead to an arrest.

This is at least the eighth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

Three of those fatal crashes have been hit-and-runs.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and their loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

18-year old boy killed by driver while riding in Huntington Beach bike lane

March 8, 2024 / / No comments

A thin stripe of white paint apparently wasn’t enough to protect an Orange County teenager Thursday morning.

According to the Daily Pilot, 18-year old Huntington Beach resident David Mario Garcia Olmos was riding his bike in the westbound bike lane on Talbert Ave, just west of Bell Circle, around 6:15 am when he was struck by a driver traveling in the same direction

He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died later Thursday morning.

The driver, identified only as a 25-year old Fullerton man, remained at the scene. Investigators say he did not appear to be under the influence.

There’s no word at this time whether Olmos was struck from behind, or right hooked as the driver turned into the nearby parking lot. Either way, the limited protection offered by the painted bike lane failed to keep him safe.

Anyone with information is urged to call Huntington Beach Police Traffic Investigator C. Houlston at 714/536-5670.

This is at least the seventh bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in Orange County.

It’s also the second fatal bike crash in Orange County in less than a week.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for David Mario Garcia Olmos and all his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Woman killed riding ebike in Westminster collision, no details on the cause

March 2, 2024 / / No comments

You knew it wouldn’t last.

We made it nearly two weeks since we’ve had had a bicycling death in Southern California.

Key word being “nearly.”

That ended on Thursday evening in Westminster, when a woman riding an ebike was killed in a collision.

According to the Orange County Tribune, the victim, identified only as an Asian woman in her 60s, was riding on Bolsa Ave just west of Brookhurst Street when she was struck by a driver around 5:59 pm.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver remained after the crash, and reportedly cooperated with investigators.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know at this time.

Anyone with information is urged to call the watch commander of the Westminster Police Department at 714/548-3767.

This is at least the sixth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of in Orange County.

Although there have probably been others we haven’t learned about.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and their loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,
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