Archive for Injuries and Fatalities

A raft of legal cases — 5 deaths, 4 hit-and-runs, 1 drunken pop star and a justly jailed physician

February 4, 2011 / / 2 comments

I haven’t had a lot of opportunity lately to keep up with recent bike-related court cases, or even to update the Legal Cases page on my blog — something I’ll try to get to over the weekend.

Fortunately, local cyclist and attorney Dj Wheels continues to do an incredible job of keeping on top of what’s happening in our local courts, as well as with key trials across the country. This past week, he sent his latest update on some of the cases currently making their way through the courts.

My heartfelt thanks to Wheels, who has done more to keep the local cycling community informed than we could ever thank him for.

Shawn Fields – PA068775 (San Fernando)

Charged in the drunken hit-and-run death of 17-year old Daniel (Danny) Marin on Laurel Canyon Blvd in Pacoima on October 2nd of last year. While any cycling death leave me shaken, this is one that has hit me the hardest. Maybe it was the needless waste of a bright, well-loved young man; maybe it was because he reminds me of myself at that age. Or maybe just because I think I would have liked him if I’d ever had the chance.

Last hearing was held on January 21 – proof of compliance with discovery requests.  Although the Preliminary Hearing had all ready been scheduled for February 2, that hearing was advanced and continued to February 16 in Dept. 502 – Judge Olmedo.  Fields remains out of custody on bail.

Marco Antonio Valencia – PA065011 (San Fernando)

Valencia is charged with killing cyclist Joseph Novotny and seriously injuring two other riders in Santa Clarita’s Bouquet Canyon. He is accused of exhibiting a “willful, wanton disregard for human life,” by driving with a blood alcohol level of .18, as well as methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana in his system at the time of the morning collision. After the wreck, he reportedly told a deputy to shoot him because his life was over; unfortunately, it was Novotny whose life was ended.

After numerous continuances of the trial date, Valencia will probably be on trial by the end of February for DUI/murder charges.  The next hearing is scheduled for February 14 as a 0 of 20 for Trial.  Valencia is still in custody.

Yelena Krupen – 0BV00450 (Beverly Hills)

Beverly Hills model Yelena Krupen was charged with fleeing the scene after hitting cyclist Brandon Chau on Santa Monica Blvd in Beverly Hills, in a case that infuriated local cyclists by demonstrating just how hard it is to get justice if the rider isn’t critically injured.

She was sentenced on December 7 to 25 days county jail for misdemeanor hit and run property damage and driving on a suspended license charges, plus restitution to the victim.  She surrendered on December 27 to the women’s detention facility in Lynwood.  Her projected release date was January 6 according to the Sheriff’s inmate locator page, but it has not been updated with an actual release date.

Jose Luis Huerta Mundo – 10HM05193 (Newport Beach)

He’s charged in the death of popular OC cyclist Michael Nine, who was killed on a group ride when he collided with a truck driven by Mundo, who was in the country illegally after previously being deported. Mundo allegedly made an illegal turn on a blind corner; Nine was riding downhill at speed and was unable to avoid the truck.

Trial was held in mid November and the jury was hung.  Mundo is being re-tried.  Pre-trial conference is scheduled for February 7 and trial is tentatively scheduled for February 28.

Patrick Roraff – FSB1002475 (San Bernardino)

In another devastating case, rising pro racer Jorge Alvarado was killed shortly after moving from Mexico to the San Bernardino area to join the short-lived Bahati Foundation racing team. He was killed when Roraff was allegedly street racing another car driven by Brett Morin, who is also charged. Along with the fallout from fellow team member Floyd Landis’ doping accusations, Alvarado’s death helped destroy what had been a promising new pro team headed by a local riding hero who gives back to the community he grew up in. If you have the heart to handle it, read the heartbreaking Spanish language comments from those who knew and loved Alvarado.

Pre-Preliminary Hearing is scheduled for March 1 and Preliminary hearing for March 3.  Roraff remains out of custody on bail.

Carlos Bertonatti – F-10-001742  (Miami-Dade County, Florida)

Bertonatti is the Miami pop singer charged with killing cyclist Christophe Le Canne last year in yet another drunken hit-and-run, culminating in a police chase with Le Canne’s bike still lodged under his car. Bertonatti was still on the road despite racking up over 40 moving violations in the past 12 years.

Trial Hearing scheduled for February 22.  http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2010/12/carlos_bertonatti_released_on.php

Dr. Christopher Thompson – B221794 (L.A. Downtown Appellate Court)

The Good Doctor was convicted in the vehicular assault of two cyclists in Mandeville Canyon on the 4th of July in 2009. Not surprisingly, he is appealing his conviction.

Attorney General’s responsive brief is due March 1, with no further continuances.  Thompson remains in custody at Wasco State Prison.

In addition to the cases Wheels mentioned here, charges were recently filed against Stephanie Segal in the drunken hit-and-run death of cyclist James Laing in Agoura Hills, and Patricia Ann Izquieta has pleaded guilty in the “drug addled” death of cyclist Donald Murphy in Newport Beach last year.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Dr. Christopher Thompson, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cyclist killed in Long Beach Tuesday night; depth of human compassion runs shallow

February 3, 2011 / / 10 comments

In what is turning out to be a horrible year for SoCal cyclists, a 48-year old Long Beach rider was killed Tuesday night.

According to the Long Beach Post, Fernando Santiago was riding through the Los Coyotes Traffic Circle when he was struck by a car entering the circle from Lakewood Blvd around 7:31 pm. The driver stopped to render aid and was released at the scene, though authorities say charges may be pending.

It’s hard to imagine any circumstances under which the driver would not be at fault in the situation described by the Post; anyone already driving or riding within the circle would have the right-of-way, and vehicles entering from the side would be required to yield.

As is often the case in cases like this, the depth of human compassion runs incredibly shallow in the comments to the online story.

Most blame the victim simply for being there, ignoring the driver’s responsibility to operate his vehicle in a safe and legal manner. After all, it’s your responsibility if you get hit, just like it’s a bank’s fault if it gets robbed.

And yes, that was sarcasm.

Never mind that another human being lost his life, the sympathies of the readers seem to rest squarely with the poor, traumatized driver:

Sad
I feel bad for the driver of the car. Due to the irresponsible decision of a bike rider he will have to deal with this the rest of his life and I am sure be sued.

david631
c’mon, riding a bycycle at 7 pm into the traffic circle. I’ve lived in LB all my life and dread using the Traffic Clr. I hope the driver of the car get’s through this thing ok…

Don’t get me wrong.

I would be devastated if my actions lead to the death of another person, whether I was behind the wheel or in any other circumstances.

But at least the driver went home that night, and his family won’t have to figure out how to go on without him.

.………

As long as we’re in Long Beach, the anti-bike backlash rears its ugly head even in articles that have nothing to do with bicycling.

In comments to a story about possible teacher layoffs due to the same budget problems experienced by virtually every California school district, readers blamed “wasteful spending” on bike lanes for the district’s budget problems. Never mind that the City of Long Beach and the local school district are two distinct governmental bodies, with separate budgets and tax sources.

They might as well complain about spending in New York for budget issues in Des Moines.

Phil
I’m very glad we will be laying off teachers. We don’t need that many teachers anwyway…we need the new bike lanes going to downtown so cyclists can feel comfortable! April, that’s it, we need to be more green, that’s the answer.

Phil (again)
At least LBUSD is planning for the tax increases not to be extended. I think the tax payors of CA are sick & tired of paying for the out of control spending of politicians at every level…local, state, & federal. I don’t think the extensions will happen, nor should they! Not as long as our money is being wasted on projects like bike lanes instead of hiring enough police, keeping all of the city’s fire trucks in service, adequately funding our schools, fixing the roads, and othe essential services that local government is responsible and should be spending my money on. If there’s any leftover after the governments obligations of providing the essential city services have been met…then go ahead, waste it on a bike lane!

LB Native
Who cares from where the money comes or what grant? I agree with Phil – who needs teachers or public safety officers if we have beautiful bike lanes… oh, and turnarounds up and down Vista, presumably for bicyclists, also. And, while we’re at it, let’s spend millions of dollars to test the feasibility of taking down the breakwater. We may or may not spend the millions more to actually do the job, but we can spend money to see if it’s feasible. Who needs teachers?

Phil
Hey John G., I cited the bike lanes as symbolic of the wasteful spending of our local politicians. There are countless others I could’ve used. However, standing corrected by you, let me correct myself and say that the bike lanes are not stupid spending by the local guys, it’s stupid spending by the federal guys. I stand corrected. I’m sure the teachers feel much better about being laid off now! I’m sure all of the people paying for auto repairs caused by the roads in this city, the police chief who’s trying to protect us all with an insufficient number of officers, and the firemen without equipment they once had all feel better now that know the bike lanes are from federal grant money!

sandy
And how much to put bike lanes on Broadway? Out office is off Broadway and we rearely see any bikes except on the sidewalk and thats only one or two a day. But who needs teashers anyway?

So there you have it.

Bike lanes, and presumably the cyclists who ride them — or not, as the commenters suggest — are responsible for all the problems in Long Beach. I’m only surprised that they didn’t blame cyclists for rising skin cancer rates and the turmoil in Egypt.

Odd though, that the people complaining loudest about teacher layoffs seem to be the ones who evidently paid the least attention when they were in school.

And as for that last comment, I think she pretty well answered that question herself.

.………

Flying Pigeon suggest that as long as city leaders are planning to turn Figueroa into a complete street, they should extend it to the complete street, suggesting a road diet for the under-utilized Highland Park stretch. Because poorer neighborhoods — and the people who live there — are every bit as important as the one Eli Broad wants to move his artworks to.

.………

L.A. considers requiring more bike parking and better standards in new developments. You have four more days to contribute your ideas on how to improve Burbank’s North San Fernando Blvd; it would undoubtedly upset some Long Beach people to know bike lanes are in the lead. L.A. County plans to upgrade former singles haven Marina del Rey; maybe they could improve the bike path there while they’re at it. The controversial Wilbur Ave road diet takes center stage in a debate between the candidates for the 12th Council District. Evidently, even militant Angelenos can find serenity on the L.A. River Bike Path. Will’s bike cam captures proof of who was at fault in a traffic collision. Delivering Super Bowl pizzas in OC by electric bike. The owner of a Surf City bar that served 72 drunk drivers says stop picking on me — and those are just the ones who got caught.

A call for bike safety and traffic calming on San Diego’s Torrey Pines Road. Discover our neighbor to the south with the 2011 San Diego Century Bicycle Tour. The CHP reopens its investigation into the death of a Los Altos cyclist, who they blamed for inexplicably turning into the wheels of a semi-truck, whose driver had been involved in two previous deaths. San Francisco’s Ceasar Chavez Street will undergo a road diet to improve bike and pedestrian safety. The brother of Giants outfielder Nate Schierholtz pleaded guilty of hitting a cyclist, a pedestrian, two cars and a light pole in a drunken hit-and-run. Problems arise with a planned BMX bike park in the Kern Valley.

Bicycling tells you how to perfect your pedal stroke. Tips for riding from a 70-year old racer. It wasn’t bikes that caused this traffic congestion. Cycling the Sundance Film Fest. Colorado’s House approves a bill that would require an alternate route if bikes are banned from any street; am I the only one that envisions cyclists shunned onto dangerous, crappy alleys and backroads? The Chicago rider who swapped his car for a bike in last year’s Tour de Fat continues to ride through this week’s record-breaking storm; in the wake of the storm, it’s nice to know bike life goes on. Reconsidering Rahm Emanuel’s bid for mayor of Chicago based on his support for cycling. A lawyer claims the driver who nearly doored a cyclist, resulting in her death, shouldn’t be charged for driving with a suspended license because “the key was not in the ignition” at the time. Two more cyclists have been killed in the nation’s most dangerous state for bicyclist and pedestrians; wait, make that three.

The Department of DIY opens a branch in Guadalajara. UK figures show a 3% increase in bike-related deaths and injuries. More on the birth of the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain. Champion Brit cyclist Victoria Pendleton says she’d like bigger boobs, even if they wouldn’t be aerodynamic. Edinburgh considers solar-powered lighting to entice cyclists and pedestrians to use canal pathways after dark. Bike paths not only save energy, now they can generate it. An Indian driver mows down four pedestrians, killing one, then kills a cyclist in a successful attempt to flee the scene. Critically injured Aussie racer Amber Halliday continues to improve and could be moved to a rehab facility within days. An Aussie driver is fined a whopping $600 for causing a cyclist to fall by dragging him by his handlebars.

Finally, a Georgia legislator says drivers licenses are unconstitutional because they interfere with your right to travel, because, you know, there’s no viable alternative to driving everywhere.

And remember, you’re not stuck in traffic, you are traffic.

Kung hei fat choi!

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

Breaking News — Charges filed against Stephanie Segal in the death of cyclist James Laing

February 1, 2011 / / 22 comments

Somehow, this one slipped past us.

Along with a number of other cyclists, I’ve been carefully following the case of Stephanie Segal, the driver accused of killing James Laing in a drunken Agoura Hills hit-and-run last October. And wondering why it was taking the DA so long to file charges in a case that seemed so open and shut.

Wonder no more.

The question isn’t when charges will be filed, but why no announcement was made.

After doing a little digging — okay, a lot of digging — cyclist and attorney Dj Wheels discovered that charges were filed on December 27, and Segal was formally arraigned last Thursday. She pleaded not guilty to one count of felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, PC 191.5(a); and one count of felony hit-and-run with injury, CVC 20001(a), and is scheduled to appear for a Preliminary Hearing Setting on March 3rd.

More interesting, perhaps, is that the case is being heard at the same Malibu Courthouse where Robert Sam Sanchez was convicted in the hit-and-run death of Rod Armas — and by the same judge that sentenced Sanchez to 4 years after he pleaded no contest to hit-and-run with injury and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Although I doubt there are very many people in cycling community who would be satisfied with four years in this case.

Wheels also notes that the judge has ordered Segal not to consume alcohol or controlled substances without a valid prescription, and that she has entered a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility, and was ordered not to leave without the permission of the court or program director.

In other words, she seems to be playing the same Get Out of Jail Free card favored by countless celebrities, entering rehab in hopes of leniency from the court.

The problem is, she may — or may not — sober up. But James Laing will still be dead simply because she chose to get drunk and get behind the wheel — then fled the scene, leaving a husband, son and brother to die in the street.

So let’s hope the judge is too smart to fall for that one.

But let’s make sure they know we’re watching, just in case.

………

In other news, the LA Bicycle Advisory Committee offers up a very full agenda for their meeting Tuesday night at the Community Room of the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall, 6501 Fountain Avenue. The meeting is open to the public and cyclists are encouraged to attend.

 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , ,

A crosswalk widow asks for safer streets in Santa Monica

January 29, 2011 / / 4 comments

Dangerous streets don’t just pose a risk to cyclists.

Last month, a 66-year old Santa Monica man was killed a the intersection of 10th Street and Wilshire Boulevard — a crossroad that has already seen a number of previous collisions. Vlado Herceg was walking in the crosswalk on Wilshire when he was killed just days before Christmas.

The wreck is still under investigation, but according to the Santa Monica Daily Press, some — cyclists included — blame a “streetscape that favors drivers’ speed over public safety.”

Meanwhile, his widow, Anne Herceg, wrote the city to ask for safer streets for everyone:

Thanks to Dr. Michael Cahn for the heads-up.

.………

Writing for Corona del Mar Today, an OC bike advocate and blogger writes about his first time riding Long Beach’s green sharrows; CdM may soon get some of their own.

.………

Writing for 89.9 KCRW’s Shortcuts blog, a Westside bike advocate and blogger explains to motorists that our safety depends on their driving.

Oh wait, that was me.

.………

You have one last chance to fight for bus and bike only lanes on Wilshire Blvd at City Hall on Wednesday the 2nd. Be one of the first to wear the LACBC’s very cool new kit. The cycling community’s favorite LAPD officer has good things to say about CD4 candidate Stephen Box. UCLA asks students, staff and faculty to help it become a Bike Friendly University. Streetsblog’s Damien Newton offers a great two-part interview with one of the city’s leading transportation reporters and advocates — Damien Newton. Flying Pigeon envisions a Danish Figueroa. The Bus Bench asks why unused bike lockers are being repainted when Metro is proposing service cuts? More on Tuesday’s ride with the LACBC and West Coast EPA Administrator Jared Blumenfeld. Eagle Rock’s Colorado Blvd could become a more civilized complete street. Very cool bike racks in Huntington Beach, aka Surf City USA. Cyclists help stop a wildfire and arrest an arsonist above Glendora; link courtesy of the Claremont Cyclist. Two men are under arrest for attempting to kill a 16-year old Lodi cyclist in an apparent gang attack. Nevada City remembers a cyclist killed by an apparent distracted driver a year ago.

Frame builder Mike Melton has passed away. A Utah man crashes through the doors of a local bike shop — and steals one of the cheapest bikes inside. Wyoming kills a three foot passing bill. Competing to fix a 42-mile bike shop dead zone in North Minneapolis. A New York cyclist is hit by two cars, one of whom flees the scene; meanwhile the city continues to crack down on cyclists and the irrationally bike-hating Post rails against bike lanes. Carving tracks through fresh fallen powder snow — on bikes. New York cyclists rally around a severely disfigured Cuban Paralympian rider; thanks to George Wolfberg for the link. Introducing the Boston bike stand. Trek may be developing a secret competitor to Specialized’s enormously successful Roubaix; something’s wrong your kids have a better racing bike than you do.

Pedestrians have replaced scofflaw cyclists as the motoring world’s objects of hatred. A UK county cuts funding for buses, bikes and pedestrians to pay for computer modeling for a road system it can’t afford to build. A cycling ban on London’s South Bank forces a disable woman to get off her trike. Bike theft hits home, or at least the Home Office. A Polish woman dies 18 months after she was hit by a careless truck driver in Scotland. Why mandatory helmet laws are a flawed argument. A Malaysian physician calls for a change of attitude and better biking infrastructure.

Finally, after a Cincinnati cyclist suffers severe brain injuries after being broadsided by a car, an emergency room physician helicopters in to care for her — only to discover the victim is his own wife; the story only gets more moving, and harrowing, from there.

And if you’ve ever wondered if vegans were from another planet, you may be right.

Category: General, Injuries and Fatalities /

San Diego man killed in motorized bike collision; you’re invited to ride with the EPA on Tuesday

January 27, 2011 / / 9 comments

Fifty-seven year old Gary Galvin died a week after suffering severe injuries while riding his motorized bike in Oceanside. The San Diego resident somehow hit a tree on January 17th for unknown reasons; he passed away on Saturday due to blunt-force head injuries, despite wearing a helmet.

.………

Services will be held tomorrow for a Ramona man killed in a SWSS* last Friday when his bike allegedly strayed across the yellow line and struck a flatbed truck.

According to the CHP, thirty-seven year old Steven “Steve” Garner may have been under the influence at the time of the collision. If the driver’s version is true — and he appears to be the only surviving witness — Garner was weaving as he rode, and somehow hit the truck’s trailer.

However, it would seem that a cyclist would have to be extraordinarily drunk to not notice or be able to avoid a large truck on the other side of the road. And how a bike could strike a truck with enough force to be thrown 65 feet through the air would seem to defy explanation.

*Single Witness Suicide Swerve

.………

A nice obituary in the Ridgecrest Daily Independent about Allyn R. Berryman, a WWII vet who lived an interesting life, from consulting with Jacques Cousteau to cycling from Fairbanks to Mexico City.

Just a reminder not to judge people by what they appear to be at the end of their lives; the elderly men and women you meet may have lived a life that would put yours — and mine — to shame. Never hurts to say hello and find out.

.………

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition invites you to ride with the EPA on Tuesday the 1st, and announces the date for this year’s River Ride on June 5th, so mark your calendar. Or better yet, just click the link and register now.

And the Coalition is asking for your input on questions to ask the candidates in this year’s March 8th City Council elections.

.………

The Venice Neighborhood Council votes to support extending the beachfront Marvin Braude Bike Path to the marina inlet jetty, from where it currently stops at Washington Blvd. C.I.C.L.E. is hosting an Urban Expedition Ride around the Sepulveda Dam Basin and Lake Balboa, with a free pre-ride maintenance workshop by the Valley Bikery; thanks to KPCC’s Siel Ju for the heads-up. Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles invites you to explore the latest offerings from leading European manufacturers on Feb. 17th. LADOT continues to stripe bike lanes on Rinaldi and Reseda in the Valley. Flying Pigeon offers a short but delicious list of bike friendly businesses. Volunteers help beautify a neglected bike path in Arleta. How do you say hipster in Español? Los Fixis Bicicletas seems to come pretty close. Four years in jail for the Sacramento woman who dragged a cyclist under her car for a quarter-mile in a drunken hit and run; you may remember the story of a witness running up and grabbing her keys to stop her. Bay Area cyclists look for love on two wheels.

The history of women in cycling. Great series of photos showing stars from Hollywood’s golden age riding bikes. Bike lawyer Bob Mionske offers advice on where and how to pass while on a bike, although the accompanying graphic seems to be missing; my rule of thumb is to give everyone — cyclists, pedestrians and motorists — the same three feet passing distance I expectt. A Denver bike cop is hit by a driver who claims he just didn’t see him; for once, that excuse probably won’t work. The Springfield Cyclist gets a compliment on his bike one night, and nearly run over the next day. Boston goes from worst to one of the country’s best biking cities in just three years. A DC area cyclist is ticketed for speeding, doing 31 in a 25 mph zone. Attention Twitterati — #bikeschool takes place tonight from 6 to 7.

Alberto Contador will be the latest to be stripped of his Tour de France title for after being banned for one year for doping, although he won’t be fined; new winner Andy Schleck says he doesn’t want it. A new social networking campaign says it’s not a race, give cyclists space. Maybe it’s time for a mandatory helmet law for motorists.

Finally, Contador is just the latest, as doping dates back at least 2800 years. Upon further testing of the B-sample, Pheidippides has been disqualified in the first Marathon, and victory awarded to the Persians.

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

Not again — 16-year old cyclist fatally shot in Pomona

January 26, 2011 / / Comments Off on Not again — 16-year old cyclist fatally shot in Pomona

A 16-year was shot and killed in Pomona around Tuesday night. According to the L.A. Times, police found his body lying next to his bike after receiving a report of a “man down” around 10 pm; they’re searching for two male possible suspects who fled the scene in a dark-colored vehicle.

This comes less than a month after a 14-year old boy was killed while riding his bike in South L.A.; a $50,000 reward is being offered in that case.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities /

Cyclist killed in Blue Line collision, third SoCal cyclist killed in three days

January 21, 2011 / / 4 comments

This has got to stop.

For the third time in the last three days — and the fifth time since the beginning of the year — a cyclist has been killed in the greater Los Angeles/Orange County area.

According to the Contra Costa Times, an unidentified Hispanic cyclist approximately 30-years old apparently tried to beat the Blue Line train across the tracks; or possibly was not paying attention — though how you miss an oncoming train is beyond me.

The collision occurred at 1:46 pm Thursday at the intersection of Pacific Avenue and Wardlow Road in Long Beach. Personnel from Long Beach Fire Department reported that the rider was dragged several hundred feet following the impact, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Please, take it front someone who grew up around trains.

You won’t beat a train across the tracks, and it’s not worth risking your life to try. I tired — and barely made it — once, and had a close enough call that I never want to try it again.

Note: the Contra Costa Times story has photos; however, there is a very disturbing image of the bike under the train that you may not want to see.

Update: The Long Beach Post has additional photos of the collision scene. Again, use your discretion; some people may be disturbed by the photos — myself included.

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

Breaking news: Eight year old OC third grader killed riding his bike to school

January 19, 2011 / / 7 comments

News broke within the last half hour that an eight-year old was killed riding his bike to school today.

According to the Orange County Register, Andrew Brumback, a 3rd grader at Sequoia Elementary School in Westminster, was riding with his sister when he was struck by an SUV driven by Anita Cherry of Westminster. The collision occurred at the intersection of Choctaw Drive and Iroquois Road at about 8 am today; he was pronounced dead at Huntington Beach Medical Center.

Unfortunately, there’s not enough information to speculate on how this collision may have occurred. However, the paper notes that the driver stayed at the scene and did not appear to be under the influence.

This is the fourth SoCal biking death this year, and the second in just two days.

My heart and prayers go out to his family and loved ones. Thanks to Lois for the heads up.

Update: The Register has updated their story with additional information, including photo that can’t help but break your heart. Westminster police Cpl. Van Woodson was quoted as saying the driver was inconsolable, and that the accident is”too sad for words.”

I couldn’t agree more.

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

80-year old Garden Grove cyclist killed; third SoCal bike death in three weeks

January 19, 2011 / / 6 comments

An 80-year old Garden Grove man died yesterday after being hit by a car while riding on the sidewalk.

According to KCBS Channel 2, the man was hit when a Ford F-250 pickup made a right turn from a the driveway of a business near the intersection of Brookhurst Street near Jennrich Avenue in Garden Grove. The victim’s name has been withheld pending notification of next-of-kin; my condolences to his family and loved ones.

The Orange County Register reports that the 36-year old driver remained at the scene, telling police that he looked for traffic before pulling out of the parking lot, but didn’t see the cyclist; no arrest has been made, and alcohol or drugs is not believed to have been a factor.

This tragedy is a reminder that, contrary to common perceptions, it’s actually a lot more dangerous to ride on the sidewalk than in the street.

Drivers exiting driveways and parking lots are focused on traffic as they try to enter the street, and may not see anyone approaching on the sidewalk — even though they should. And visibility for drivers is greatly reduced, as nearby buildings can hide riders from view until the last second.

In fact, one prominent study found a nearly 25% greater risk factor for cyclists riding on the sidewalk as opposed to riding a typical street. In other words, while you might be frightened by those cars buzzing by, you’re a lot safer in the street where drivers can see you then relying on the false security of the sidewalk.

And just how sad is it that in this age of rampant hit-and-run, it’s necessary for a reporter to mention that the driver didn’t run away?

This marks the third biking fatality in Southern California in less than three weeks, following the deaths of Joseph Powers and Kevin Unck less than 10 days into the new year.

Be careful out there.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: ,

Two weeks into the new year, two cycling deaths

January 14, 2011 / / 2 comments

Evidently, Kevin Unck wasn’t the first cyclist killed in Southern California this year after all.

On January 4th, I’d linked to a story about a Ventura cyclist who was injured after losing control of his bike while rounding a curve at 30 mph — oddly similar to what happened with the popular masters racer Unck, who lost control after hitting a patch of gravel and mud, and slid into the path of an oncoming car.

In this case, though, there wasn’t another vehicle involved. Forty-eight year old Joseph Powers was riding on Highway 150 on the morning of January 3rd, when he lost control near the intersection with Gobernador Canyon Road in the Carpenteria Valley and was airlifted to the hospital.

After that, there was no follow-up story in the news, which wasn’t really surprising. There was no indication that Powers injuries were life threatening, and today’s modern emergency care can quickly stabilize most accident victims. And most news outlets don’t usually run stories on people who survive their injuries.

Powers wasn’t so lucky.

Word broke today that he was pronounced dead on January 6th at the Ventura County Medical Center. According to the Ventura County Star, he died of blunt force chest injuries, his death was ruled an accident.

According to an obituary in the Star, Powers, a native of Ventura County, was an employee of the Ventura Unified School District, and was passionate about his friends, cycling, baking and his dogs. Messages left online suggest he was well liked; services will be held tomorrow at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

My condolences to his family and loved ones.

We may never know what caused an experienced cyclist like Powers to lose control. However, it may very well have been something similar to the bad road conditions that took Unck’s life; the heavy rains over the holidays could have easily left mud and debris on the roadway.

Let their deaths be a reminder that while the bright California sunshine following a storm can call us out onto the roads, it’s best to assume that bad weather will leave behind bad road conditions.

And ride accordingly.

********

There will be a memorial ride for Kevin Unck on Saturday, January 22nd; check back with the Cycling Connection IE for more information.

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