Archive for Injuries and Fatalities

Possible cycling fatality in Santa Maria, pedestrian killed in unreported Westside hit-and-run

July 19, 2011 / / Comments Off on Possible cycling fatality in Santa Maria, pedestrian killed in unreported Westside hit-and-run

I’ve received an unconfirmed report of a cycling fatality in Santa Maria on Monday. According to an anonymous source, a 73-year old man was struck and killed at the intersection of Betteravia and Sinton Roads just after noon; rescue personnel were unable to resuscitate him and he was declared dead at the scene.

More details as they become available.

Update: Fortunately, this one turned out to be a false alarm; the report was based on an undated internet story referring to a collision that occurred last year.

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Streetsblog reports on a fatal hit-and-run that never made the news, on the same night an allegedly drunk/distracted driver plowed into a group of cyclists in Culver City.

The collision took the life of a pedestrian crossing Venice Blvd at Motor, just 1.25 miles from the other incident, in the early morning hours of Thursday, June 16th. The victim was walking with the light when a dark colored Volkswagen Jetta ran the red light, then sped off to leave him dying in the street.

Anyone with information is asked to call call the West L.A. Traffic Division Officer O. Osbourne at 213-473-0234.  If you’re calling after-hours or on the weekend, please call 1-877-LAPD-24-7.

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Danae Marie Miller is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on September 22nd in Newport Beach on a single count of felony vehicular manslaughter in the February death of triathlete Amine Britel. She reportedly was texting and had a BAC of .10 at the time of the collision, and had 16 prior tickets for moving infractions.

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As racing resumes after yesterday’s rest day, Thor Hushovd wins stage 16 of the Tour de France; defending champ Alberto Contador must have resumed eating Spanish beef as he gains precious seconds on the leaders.

Evidently, I’m not the only one who thinks this year’s tour is anything but boring. Dave Moulton says keep an eye on Samuel Sanchez. A lasting, if somewhat gruesome, image to show how tough Tour riders really are. Current TdF leader Thomas Voeckler says he has no chance of winning.

Meanwhile, Lance goes to court to demand an investigation into apparent grand jury leaks, saying the Justice Department is trying to destroy his legacy in the court of public opinion. And Alexander Vinokourov closes out his dope-marred career; sometimes I wonder if the cyclists banned for doping are just the ones who got caught, though others might disagree.

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Streetsblog’s Damien Newton bookends Carmageddon with a preview on Fox 11, as well as offering a wrap-up with his usual insight; he says there are just too many freeways. Riding to Carmegeddon Ground Zero. GOOD wants you to imagine L.A. without cars; isn’t that what Carmageddon was all about? Police save the 405 from the indignity of being ridden by 200 or so cyclists. Local officials hope the positive Carmegeddon experience will encourage Angelenos to drive less; I give it maybe two weeks tops.

A mathematical follow-up to the great Bike vs. Jet race. Yes Magazine looks at the cyclists who beat an airplane, while Time Magazine evidently misses the part about Gary Kavanagh finishing 2nd on Metro.

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The Sacramento Bee offers a semi-tongue-in-cheek list of 11 things thing the pros do that you shouldn’t when you ride your bike.

I realize they’re trying to be funny while making a point. But personally, I’m getting pretty fed up with all the attacks on cyclists who wear Lycra bike clothes; anyone who thinks riders wear spandex to fit in or be fashionable doesn’t have a clue what road riding is all about.

Experienced riders know that road biking shorts and jerseys are designed to provide for maximum comfort and performance over long distances at relatively high speeds by wicking away moisture and preventing chafing while minimizing drag caused by loose, flapping attire.

But nobody says it’s mandatory. Street clothes are perfectly fine if that’s what you want to wear, especially when riding shorter distances or at slower speeds.

So if you don’t like Lycra, don’t wear it.

And anyone who thinks shaved legs are about “primping” has never tried to field dress a gashed calf 40 miles from home.

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Bikes Belong gives a grant to the LACBC to study the economic impact of a road diet on York Blvd; the results could provide much needed support for bike projects across the country. The Westside Cities Council of Governments meets at the VA on Thursday; coordination of bike planning and potential funding sources is on the agenda. New Miracle Mile bike racks prove popular. Surf, skate and bike at the Architecture and Design Museum. A discussion of bike share in Santa Monica. Cycletracks are coming to Temple City. Sometimes it only takes a new grate to help make a street a little safer. A Whittier veteran rubs elbows with royalty to promote the Ride Against Homelessness Bike Ride.”

Your next Felt could be a little more affordable. Three Newport Beach teenagers are arrested as bike thefts spike. No charges yet in a Ventura hit-and-run. The correct answer to “where to ride your bike” isn’t “somewhere else.” Another Californian has been busted for Biking Under the Influence after colliding with a car. A mountain biker dies after losing control on a Lake Tahoe trail.

Road ID offers a great series on the rules of the road, including videos with bike lawyer Bob Mionske. A new bike can help leave even the worst disappointments behind. Lovely Bicycle defines what bicycle safety means to her. Elly Blue looks shows how disability doesn’t mean a lack of ability when it comes to riding a bike. A look at the Bike Lady of St. Ignatius MT; thanks to new Montanan and former Angeleno Dancer al a Mode for the heads-up. Springfield Cyclist wins not one, but two bikes. A Chicago man complains about the way ghost bikes look over time. It takes a genuine jerk to door a 6-year old and say “I hope you learned your lesson, young man.” A Princeton fusion researcher is killed on the final day of a 500-mile charity ride. NYDOT turns a safe and pleasant commute into a potentially deadly ride. No bike share station on DC’s National Mall.

A new London gym offers indoor bike parking and bike repairs. A British teenager rides on water to raise money for charity; thanks to Rex Reese for the link. Now that’s what I call cycle chic. An English cyclist riding across Africa has all his gear stolen, except for his bike and passport. A fascinating, if lengthy, look at the Rwandan Cycling Team from the New Yorker.

Finally, a Boston cyclist says yes, we are trying to take over the streets.

Category: General, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Yet another teenage bike rider killed in shooting. Does it matter?

July 18, 2011 / / 11 comments

Last April, a 17-year old cyclist was hit and killed by a speeding car on a busy Valley boulevard. The driver roared away without even slowing down, leaving Alex Romero to die in the street.

Last Saturday, another 17-year old was killed while riding his bike, this time in Lincoln Heights near Downtown L.A.

Instead of a careless, heartless and overly aggressive driver, this young man, still not publicly identified, encountered a group of gang members who opened fire as he attempted to ride away; he died a short time later at USC Medical Center.

Should we care about one, and not the other?

Thousands of cyclists and other Angelenos have been deeply affected by the death of Romero, as well as Danny Marin, another rider killed in a similar collision.

And neither begins to compare with the outpouring of grief demonstrated for Connor Lynch, the 16-year old runner from the valley’s exclusive Notre Dame High School killed by a young driver who fled before turning herself in a few blocks away

Yet when we see the words gang shooting, we turn our heads and look the other way.

Just one of those things. One of those people. Yet another victim of a community that long ago learned to live and die with violence.

Yet this young man had as much of a future as Romero, Marin and Lynch.

Maybe he had more challenges to overcome, maybe less. We don’t even know who he was yet, let alone why he was killed.

Maybe he was in the wrong gang. Maybe he was just wearing the wrong colors, or dressed the wrong way. Maybe he was someone they knew.

Maybe he was just an innocent victim, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

We may never know. The press usually doesn’t have much interest in cases like this; just another gang shooting, another young victim of the streets. No follow-up likely, unless something unusual turns up or, for some reason, the public happens to care.

Yet this young man’s future was still unwritten, and like the others — and every young person— full of near infinite possibilities that will never be fulfilled.

And family and friends who are undoubtedly devastated by the news, and wondering how they will ever go on without him.

A death is a death, whether it comes from a bullet or the bumper of a car.

Does it really matter how or why?

He was on a bike.

He was one of us.

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According to KTLA-5, the shooting occurred in front of a closed business on the 300 block of West Avenue 33 in Lincoln Heights around 8:30 pm Saturday.

Detectives believe the victim encountered a group of gang members, who opened fire as he tried to ride away; responding officers found him laying in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detectives J. Rios or Cary Ricard at (323) 342-8959. During non-business hours or weekends, calls may be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.

This is the 6th fatal shooting of a bicyclist in Southern California this year, and the 5th in Los Angeles County. His was the 43rd confirmed cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 17th in L.A. County.

And most likely, far from the last.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , ,

Another South Bay cyclist killed on Saturday; 5 dead in 4th of July carnage

July 6, 2011 / / One comment

I don’t even know what to say at this point.

After writing about two bicyclists killed as a result of collisions in South Bay beach cities this past weekend — an El Segundo hit-and-run and a San Pedro collision apparently caused by a careless rider — now comes word that a cyclist was killed in Long Beach on Saturday.

The Long Beach Post reports that the 68-year old cyclist, who has not been publicly identified, was riding east on Pacific Coast Highway near the Terminal Island Freeway when he was hit from behind by a 2011 Honda Accord around 6:48 am.

When police arrived, they found the victim lying in the roadway; paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. There’s no indication from the report where he was in the roadway or how he had been positioned when he was hit. While I’m not very familiar with this stretch of roadway, reports indicate that it can be a dangerous place to ride.

The driver, identified only as a 46-year old Long Beach woman, was questioned at the scene and released.

The past 4th of July weekend has just been devastating for South Bay cyclists and pedestrians; in addition to the biking fatalities, a pedestrian was killed in a San Pedro hit-and-run, and an 89-year old Redondo Beach woman was killed crossing the street.

This is the the 37th confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California, and the 12th in Los Angeles County, since the first of the year. Remarkably, the three deaths this weekend represent over 12% of the county’s annual average for the last five years for which records are available.

There’s something terribly wrong when we celebrate our independence by watching bodies pile up in the street.

I just feel sick right now.

My heart and prayers go out to the victim’s family. Thanks to Allan Alessio for the heads-up.

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

Second L.A. rider dies from injuries suffered on a bloody 4th of July

July 5, 2011 / / One comment

A second L.A. area cyclist has died of injuries received on the Fourth of July.

According to the Daily Breeze, 39-year old Steven Pyle was critically injured when he rode off the sidewalk and out into the street between two parked cars. As he emerged from between the cars, he was hit by an eastbound Nissan Altima near the intersection of 22nd Street and Barbour Court in San Pedro around 2:05 pm Monday.

The paper reports that he was narrowly missed by a white van before being struck by the car; the driver of the car that hit him stopped at the scene, while the other driver did not.

Pyle, a musician who was well-known in the area, suffered a severe head injury and was rushed into emergency surgery; he was taken of life support Tuesday afternoon and died later the same day.

The paper quotes LAPD Lt. Brian Whitten as saying no charges were expected to be filed in this case.

“It’s a traffic accident,” Whitten said. Pyle “rode between parked cars and into traffic. He was crossing the road when it wasn’t safe to do so.”

Pyle’s death is the second cycling fatality in Los Angeles resulting from collisions on the 4th of July; 32-year old cyclist George Loudon was killed on a dark El Segundo street while riding home from work early Monday morning. It was also the second fatal traffic collision in San Pedro in two days, as a pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run early Sunday morning.

This is the 36th confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year; five other riders have died as a result of shootings. Pyle is the 11th confirmed cycling traffic fatality in Los Angeles County since the first of the year; that compares to an average of 24.2 for the last five years for which statistics are available, from 2005 – 2009.

My deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones.

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

When will it ever stop? El Segundo cyclist killed by hit-and-run driver July 4th; Rybicki improving

July 5, 2011 / / 11 comments

You knew we weren’t going to get through the holiday weekend without bad news.

Early morning on the 4th of July, those fears were confirmed when a hit-and-run driver took the life of 32-year old cyclist George Loudon in El Segundo. Loudon was reportedly making his was home from work when he was hit from behind while riding northbound on Vista Del Mar near Dockweiler State Beach in El Segundo.

The exact spot of the collision is unclear; reports say the collision occurred near Hyperion Way, which does not appear on online maps.

Loudon was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities reportedly don’t have any description of the suspect vehicle; anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD at 213/473-0222.

This was the second fatal hit-and-run in the L.A. area in just 24 hours, as a pedestrian was killed in San Pedro on Sunday.

Loudon’s death was the 35th confirmed cycling traffic fatality in Southern California this year, and the 10th in Los Angeles County; three of those fatalities have been the result of hit-and-runs.

And I’m still looking for confirmation of two other possible deaths in the past two weeks, including one in East L.A.

Maybe one day we’ll finally be able to celebrate our independence from cowards who flee the scene after killing or injuring another human being. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no lower form of life; it’s long past time we stop treating hit-and-runs like traffic collisions and start treating them like the crimes they are.

My prayers and condolences to Loudon’s family and friends.

Update: The Daily Breeze reports that Loudon, who lived in Venice, was riding through a “dark and desolate” area wearing dark clothing and without reflectors; whether he had a light is not mentioned. His body was found by a passing motorist, so there is no clear indication of exactly when he was hit. Police note that the vehicle should have significant damage to the front end.

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I’ve been hearing some unfortunate rumors about Adam Rybicki, the cyclist critically injured in a collision with an allegedly drunk, underage driver in Torrance last April.

So let me clear up any confusion.

Adam has been transferred to a rehab facility, and continues to show improvement. While he still has significant impairment due to his injuries, the latest reports are that he is able to communicate using a white board and is working hard at his recovery.

Clearly, he has a very long way to go, and prayers and positive thoughts are still needed.

But overall, the news is good. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

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

A moving meditation on the fragility of life and friendship

July 2, 2011 / / One comment

I didn’t write it.

As a writer, I wish I did; as a rider, I’m very glad I didn’t have to.

My phone rang at around 9:45PM. It was John’s girlfriend.  She didn’t know where John was.  She knew we’d been riding bikes earlier that night and asked if I knew anything.  I told her we’d parted ways at the fire station on the backside of Paradise Loop at around 7:15PM.  He had turned off early to go meet up with her.  Her voice cracked as she spoke. She started to cry.

l write a lot about the bad things that can happen on a bike. More than I ever thought I would. And far more than I really want to.

But I don’t think I’ve ever written anything as moving, and seldom as heartfelt.

I called John and got no answer.  I started calling police departments in southern Marin.  If my mind had a clear task then maybe I could ignore my rising fear.  Tiburon PD told me to call Sausalito PD.  Sausalito PD took my number and told me to await a call from the responding officer.  I told the agent this arrangement was not cool.  I asked what happened to my friend.  She said he’d been involved in an accident.  She said the responding officer was the only one who could give details.  I asked if he was alive.  She said the responding officer was the only one who could give details….

It’s beautiful and sad and heart-wrenchingly tragic. And one of the best things I’ve read about one of the worst things that can happen.

It’s not easy to read.

But well worth the effort.

Thanks to @BikeCrave and @bikesd for the heads-up.

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

15-year old Fontana cyclist killed by Metrolink train

July 2, 2011 / / 10 comments

According to the San Bernardino Sun, 15-year old Ricardo Gilberto Lizarraga was killed when he was hit by a Metrolink train around 6:20 pm Thursday.

Lizarraga was reportedly riding northbound on Sierra Avenue when he rode across the tracks into the path of the eastbound train. Google street view shows railroad crossing signals at the site, so if they were working, he should have been aware of the train coming.

This is the 34th confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 1st in San Bernardino County. Lizarraga is also the 3rd SoCal cyclist killed in a collision with a train in 2011.

Update: According to Inland News Today, the gates were lowered and the warning lights were flashing at the time of the collision; the site reports that he was using earbuds and may not have been able to hear the train. And yet, he would have had to have the music exceptionally loud to drown out a train — and that still doesn’t explain how he missed the signals. 

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

Whittier cyclists under attack; female rider severely beaten in most recent assault

June 30, 2011 / / Comments Off on Whittier cyclists under attack; female rider severely beaten in most recent assault

A 19-year old woman was severely beaten after being knocked off her bike on a Whittier bike path.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the attack took place on Wednesday around 10:30 pm on the Greenway Trail, a Class 1 off-road bike path between Painter and Greenleaf Avenues when three or four men in dark clothing pushed her off her bike. Her attackers then punched her repeatedly in the face and body, and may have kicked her, as well.

Authorities report she suffered injuries to her face, teeth, hands and elbows, as well as losing consciousness for a period of time; she was reportedly awake when police and firefighters arrived on the scene, and was transported to a local hospital.

The suspects fled when other people approached. Police say she was not robbed and the motive for the attack is unknown.

However, KTLA reports that there have been at least three other attacks in the same pathway in the past month. In one case, a man was able to fight off an attacker who tried to steal his bike, while a 16-year old boy was arrested for allegedly grabbing another man and demanding his money; no information was available on the other attack.

These cases are reminiscent of the reports of attacks on cyclists riding along the Ballona Creek bike path a few years back, and point out the inherent problem with off-road bikeways.

While they can offer a pleasant respite from the headaches and risks of riding busy streets, they are often largely isolated and hidden from public view, providing secluded areas where criminal activity may occur.

And most are rarely, if ever, patrolled by police.

In fact, when cyclists tried to report the Ballona Creek attacks, 911 operators and police officers reportedly had difficulty even identifying where the bike path was and who had jurisdiction in order to respond.

Fortunately, the Ballona attacks proved to be the rare exception, rather than the rule on that pathway, though the reports circulated widely enough that many cyclists still express reservations about riding there.

Hopefully, this latest, unidentified victim will recover from her injuries — both physical and emotional — and get back on her bike soon.

And greater enforcement will improve safety for everyone on Whittier’s Greenway Trail.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , ,

CCPD asks Culver City witnesses to come forward; LA bike community to hold major press event Thursday

June 29, 2011 / / 4 comments

Culver City police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision earlier this month in which an alleged drunk, speeding and distracted driver collided with a group of late night riders on Jefferson Blvd.

Anyone with information is urged to come in to police headquarters to review a photo reconstruction of the event. If you were there, or know people who were, contact CCPD Officers Davis or Newman at 310-253-6254. Thanks to Jim Shanman of the Culver City Bicycle Coalition for the heads-up.

And clear your schedule for tomorrow morning, when a wide spectrum of the Los Angeles cycling community representing cyclists of all types — myself included — will come together for a press event to protest the botched LAPD investigation and biased press coverage of this case, and make a public call for safer streets and fair investigation into all cycling incidents.

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Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Car vs Bike, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

74-year old cyclist killed in Blythe; 26-year old Londoner killed near Pismo Beach

June 26, 2011 / / Comments Off on 74-year old cyclist killed in Blythe; 26-year old Londoner killed near Pismo Beach

A 74-year old cyclist was killed in Blythe CA, near the Colorado River between Palm Springs and Phoenix, on Friday night.

According to the Desert Independent, David Sandoval Caldera was riding in the traffic lane on the 1400 block of W. Hobsonway around 8:30 pm when he was hit from behind by a 1999 Ford Expedition driven by Nancy Sue Pollock of Blythe. Pollock claimed she didn’t see Caldera, who was riding without lights or reflectors.

Sunset in Blythe was at 7:49 pm, which means it would have been nearing full dark at the time of the collision. Despite the gathering gloom, Caldera’s bike should have been clearly visible in the car’s headlights, assuming she was using them at that hour.

However, cyclists are required to have a headlight and rear reflector after dark, as well as side reflectors; safety concerns and common sense dictate that riders should do whatever they can to make themselves visible in low light conditions.

Caldera is the 33rd cyclist to be killed in traffic-related collisions in Southern California this year, and the fifth in Riverside County. That compares to an annual average of 7 cycling fatalities in the county in the three years from 2007 to 2009, the latest years for which statistics are currently available; prior to that, the county had 15 cycling deaths in 2005 and 14 in 2006.

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In another tragic case just outside the Southern California area, a 26-year old London resident was killed by an accused speeding, underaged drunk driver near Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo County.

The cyclist, who remains unidentified pending notification of next-of-kin, was riding on Halcyon Road near Oceano around 8 pm Saturday when 20-year old Aaron Richard Ceja lost control of his Chevy Blazer at a high rate of speed. Ceja’s vehicle crossed over to the other side of the road to hit the rider head on.

According to The San Louis Obispo Tribune, he was arrested for vehicular manslaughter and suspicion of DUI causing injury.

No one should ever die just for going on a bike ride. Especially not a visitor to this country; especially not at the hands of a drunk.

My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of both victims.

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