Archive for Injuries and Fatalities

25-year old Costa Mesa man dies over a month after being bitten by a rattlesnake while mountain biking in Irvine

March 12, 2026 / / No comments

Heartbreaking news from Irvine, where a man was killed while mountain biking.

From a snakebite.

KABC-7 reports that 25-year old Costa Mesa resident Julian Hernandez was riding on the Quail Hill Trail in Irvine on Sunday, February 1st, when he stopped to wait for a friend near the Quail Hill Community Center.

He lost his balance when he tried to adjust his shoe, fell into some brush and was bitten on the leg by a rattlesnake.

A report by KTLA-5 places the time of the bite at around 11 am.

Hernandez died in the hospital on March 4th, after falling into a coma and spending more than a month in intensive care.

He may have tried riding for help, according to KNBC-4. Even if he didn’t ride after the bite, the exertion of mountain biking could have caused the venom to spread faster.

However, a crowdfunding page put up by his family tells a slightly different story.

They say he was mountain biking with his dad when he stepped aside to let others pass on the trail, and was bitten by the snake.

According to the crowdfunding page,

We are a family that handed our son over to people we trusted and never got him back. Please help spread the word and the love of my brother, who was cherished by so many, and who impacted even more people than we can imagine. Raising these funds will help cover the costs of hospital fees, his memorial service, and any additional financial strain that arises from this ongoing situation.

Julian was a leader in his community. He was a son, a brother, a loving boyfriend, and a friend to everyone. We will pursue the truth about what happened to Julian and we will stand up for him. This is not about anger. This is about accountability. This is about making sure the next family that walks through those doors doesn’t live our nightmare. Julian loved hard, laughed loud, and made everyone around him feel like they mattered. He deserved better. Please help us fight for him.

It sounds like they are blaming the hospital or the physicians who cared for him for Hernandez’ death.

As of this writing, the page has raised more than $28,000 of the $123,000 goal.

The CDC reports that only around five of the 7,000 to 8,000 people bitten by venomous snakes each year end up dying.

Whatever the reason, he was one of us, and his death serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers of mountain biking, and the need to always be on the lookout for unexpected risks on any trail.

Even one close to the city.

This the 20th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year; it also appears to be the first in Orange County.

And yes, it’s the first death by snakebite in the nearly 20 years I’ve been doing this.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Julian Hernandez and all his family and loved ones. 

Thanks to Megan for the heads-up. 

Photo by Pixabay.

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

Update: 67-year old man on bike killed by driver of Santa Clarita bus in Castaic Wednesday morning; 19th SoCal bike death this year

March 11, 2026 / / No comments

Seriously, this has got to stop.

For the 19th time in just 70 days, someone riding a bicycle has been killed on the mean streets of Southern California.

This time in Castaic Wednesday morning.

Multiple sources report that a man was struck and killed by the driver of a Santa Clarita city bus at Green Hill Drive and Pinto Place around 7:30 am.

The victim, identified only as 67-year old man, was dead at the scene by the time emergency personnel arrived.

Of course, the CHP was quick to blame on him for possibly drifting into the path of the bus.

Which also means it’s possible he didn’t.

The driver of the Santa Clarita Transit bus appears to be the only witness to the crash, since the only passenger on the bus left before investigators arrived.

In the absence of any independent witnesses, it will be up to CHP investigators to determine what actually happened. And investigating bicycle crashes is not exactly their strong point.

As noted above, this the 19th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the eighth in Los Angeles County.

That means a bike rider has been killed in SoCal roughly every three-and-a-half days since the first of the year. And less than once every nine days in LA County.

The victim has been identified as 67-year old Castaic resident Hahn Truong.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Hahn Truong and his loved ones.

Thanks to Henry for the heads-up. 

 

 

 

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

Update: Man riding bicycle killed after allegedly running red light in San Diego’s Pacific Beach neighborhood early Tuesday

March 10, 2026 / / No comments

For the second time already this year, someone has been killed riding a bicycle in San Diego’s Pacific Beach neighborhood.

But at least this time, it wasn’t a little kid.

According to multiple sources, a man was killed after allegedly riding his bike in front of an oncoming car early Tuesday morning.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding south on Fanuel Street at Grand Ave shortly before 1 am, when he attempted to turn right onto Grand and was struck by the westbound driver.

He died at the scene.

There are sharrows on Grand, which could have given him an illusion of safety.

However, there’s no explanation at this time why he turned in front on the oncoming motorist, although it’s possible that he may have gone into the traffic lane to avoid parked cars in the residential neighborhood.

Police said that alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

Anyone with information is urged to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-888/580-8477; it’s not clear why they don’t want people to call the police directly.

This the 18th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the third in San Diego County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 60-year old Jamison Kimbrough. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jamison Kimbrough and his loved ones.

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

52-year old man dies 19 days after February 10 ebike crash in Oceanside; 17th SoCal bike death already this year

March 3, 2026 / / No comments

Sigh.

A few weeks ago, we mentioned in passing that Oceanside police found a 52-year old man lying in the roadway next to an ebike after midnight, suffering from severe upper body injuries.

Today, we got the sad news that he didn’t make it.

According to The Coast News (scroll down), the victim, identified as Oceanside resident Scott Weiler, died 19 days after he was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.

Apparently, Weiler somehow lost control of his ebike and crashed into a light pole near Coast Highway and Seagaze Drive sometime before 12:11 am on Wednesday, February 11th.

Although The Coast News oddly places the crash shortly after noon the day before.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on what kind of ebike Weiler was riding, so we don’t know if it was a ped-assist bike or an e-moto. But either way, his death is no less tragic.

This the 17th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in San Diego County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Scott Weiler and his loved ones.

 

Facebook post from the Oceanside Police Department

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Man riding ebike against traffic killed in head-on Oxnard crash, hit-and-run; the first driver stayed, while second fled

February 23, 2026 / / 3 comments

This year just keeps getting worse.

As of this weekend, 15 people had already lost their lives riding a bicycle in Southern California this year.

Now you can add yet another victim to that grim list. This time in Oxnard, where a 40-year old man was killed riding an ebike.

And this time only one of the two drivers involved bothered to stick around afterwards.

According to a press release from the Oxnard Police Department, the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was apparently riding north on the southbound side of Saviers Road near Guava Street around 6:23 pm Sunday when he was struck head-on by a 67-year old pickup driver traveling in the right lane.

That driver stopped after the crash. Police do not believe he was speeding or under the influence

The victim was knocked off his bike by the impact, landing in the next lane, where he was run over by a driver in an SUV. That person continued without stopping, dragging the ebike under their car.

The second driver stopped about a block away to dislodged the ebike from underneath the SUV, then got back in and continued driving south on Saviers. There’s no description at this time of that driver or the suspect SUV.

The victim died at the scene.

It’s not clear from the limited description whether he was riding in the bike lane when he was struck by the first driver, or if he was in the traffic lane next to it.

It’s also not clear whether he was actually riding a ped-assist or throttle-controlled bicycle, or if he was riding e-motorbike or a non-street legal electric dirt bike.

That’s an ongoing problem when anything with two wheels and an electric motor is called an ebike, regardless of how fast or powerful it is.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Oxnard Police Officer Daniel Diaz Sanchez at 805/385-7750, or email daniel.diaz-sanchez@oxnardpd.org, especially after hours. Or you can call the Oxnard Police Department at 805/385-7600.

This the 16th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in Ventura County; both were in Oxnard.

Five of those deaths have now involved hit-and-run drivers.

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

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

Update: Man riding bicycle killed in Hesperia collision, possibly involving two drivers; 15th SoCal bike death already this year

February 21, 2026 / / Comments Off on Update: Man riding bicycle killed in Hesperia collision, possibly involving two drivers; 15th SoCal bike death already this year

At least this time the driver stuck around.

Both of them, apparently.

According to the Victor Valley Daily Press, a man riding a bicycle was killed when he was struck by a driver in Hesperia early Friday.

The paper places the collision at Highway 395 and Joshua Street, a little before 5:30 am. The victim, described only as an adult male, died at the scene.

The Victor Valley News Group reports there were two vehicles at the scene, both with visible front end damage, a 2014 Toyota Camry and a 2021 Subaru Forester.

It’s possible he may have been knocked off his bike by one driver, and struck again by the second.

A photo from the scene shows a mangled blue bicycle resting on the side of the road, with what appears to be a backpack in the middle of the roadway. The bike is facing against traffic, but that could be a result of the impact, or it could have been moved following the crash.

The intersection is controlled by a red light. Lining up a street view with a directional sign in the background of one photo, it appears the crash occurred on northbound 395 just past Joshua. Both drivers look to have been traveling in the same direction.

A statement provided by the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department explained the collision remained under investigation, and “The involved parties remained on scene and are cooperating with investigators.”

With one notable exception.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Hesperia Police Department at  760/947-1500, or call the We-Tip hotline anonymously at 800/782-7463.

This the 15th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in San Bernardino County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 48-year old Victorville resident John Hewitt.

The Victor Valley News Group confirms that Hewitt was stuck by two separate drivers.

According to a statement from investigators,

“Preliminary findings indicated that while Hewitt was riding his bicycle he was struck by a driver of a Subaru,” the statement said. “The impact knocked the cyclist off his bicycle and onto the ground. While the man was on the ground, he was subsequently struck by a driver of a Toyota Camry.”

Both drivers remained at the scene.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for John Hewitt and his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

27-year old bike rider killed early Friday in Colton hit-and-run; 13th SoCal bike death in last 30 days

February 9, 2026 / / Comments Off on 27-year old bike rider killed early Friday in Colton hit-and-run; 13th SoCal bike death in last 30 days

It’s happened yet again.

For the 13th time in 30 days, someone riding a bicycle has been killed in Southern California. And once again, the victim was murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

This time in Colton.

According to KTLA-5, which has the most detailed report, the victim was struck while riding at Riverside Ave and Key Street around 4 am Friday.

The victim, identified as 27-year old Colton resident Sinahi Moises Garcia, was pronounced dead at the scene. It’s not clear if Garcia was a man or a woman, though Sinahi is usually a feminine name.

There’s no word on how the crash occurred, or whether Garcia had lights on their bike in the predawn hour. Then again, we have no way of knowing if the driver was using their lights, either.

There’s also no information on where Garcia and the driver were positioned on the three-way intersection, which is controlled only by a stop sign on Key. There appears to be a bike lane on Riverside, which has the kind of wide, straight traffic lanes that encourage speeding, particularly at that hour.

Police do not appear to have a description of the suspect or their vehicle, or which way they fled.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Colton Police Officer A. Jacobson at 909/370-5000, or ajacobson@coltonca.gov. Anonymous tips can be submitted to We-Tip at 1-800/782-7463, or via wetip.com.

This the 13th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and it appears to be the first in San Bernardino County,

Four of the SoCal deaths involved hit-and-run drivers..

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Sinahi Moises Garcia and their loved ones.

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

Man dies mountain biking near La Tuna Foot Trail in remote section of Shadow Hills; 12th SoCal bike death in 30 days

February 8, 2026 / / Comments Off on Man dies mountain biking near La Tuna Foot Trail in remote section of Shadow Hills; 12th SoCal bike death in 30 days

Make that 12.

Just hours after learning about the 11th bicycling death in Southern California in just the last 30 days, we learned that yet another person has lost his life riding a bicycle.

This time in Los Angeles County. Although it’s not exactly clear how or why.

Multiple sources are reporting that a man was found next to his mountain bike in severe medical distress, in a remote section of Shadow Hills above Burbank Sunday morning.

Aeromedics were dispatched at 10:44 am, and lowered by helicopter after locating the man near the La Tuna Foot Trail, and immediately began lifesaving efforts. Additional personnel from the Los Angeles and Burbank Fire Departments hiked in and travelled by Jeep to reach the scene.

However, despite their efforts, the victim was declared dead at 11:38.

There’s no word at this time whether victim’s medical condition was caused by a fall or natural causes, or due to some other factor. It’s also possible his death could have been due to natural causes brought on by mountain biking.

He was publicly identified only as a man around 50.

The scene was turned over to law enforcement for further investigation.

This the 12th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and remarkably, already the seventh in Los Angeles County.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: Woman riding bicycle killed by speeding hit-and-run driver in Long Beach; 11th SoCal bike rider killed in last 4 weeks

February 8, 2026 / / Comments Off on Update: Woman riding bicycle killed by speeding hit-and-run driver in Long Beach; 11th SoCal bike rider killed in last 4 weeks

This is getting really old.

For the 11th time in the past 30 days — okay, 28 — someone has been killed riding a bicycle on the mean streets of Southern California.

And once again, the victim was murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

According to the Long Beach Police Department, a woman riding a bicycle was mowed down by a motorist who ran a stop sign in broad daylight, then just kept running.

The crash occurred at 4:48 pm Saturday — about 45 minutes before sunset — at Redondo Avenue and East 2nd Street.

Police report the victim was riding south on Redondo when the driver blew through the stop sign on westbound 2nd at a high rate of speed, striking her, then continuing west on 2nd without stopping.

When police arrived, they found the woman, who has not been publicly identified, being tended to by a bystander who had stopped to help. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died.

Authorities are looking for the driver of a 2025 gray Hyundai Sonata; there’s no description of the driver at this time.

Long Beach Watchdog reports she was the fifth person killed as a result of traffic violence in the city already this year, two of the dead were on bikes.

According to the Long Beach Post,

Fatal traffic collisions have been a growing problem in Long Beach despite the city promising it would try to eliminate them completely by 2026. Last year, there were 53 deadly crashes in the city. Most people killed were outside a car: walking, biking or riding an e-scooter.

Long Beach’s strategy is to force drivers to slow down, but the city has faced criticism for moving too slowly on some tactics, such as installing automated speed cameras.

Anyone with information is urged to call LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Edwin Paredes at 562/570-7110, or anonymously through LA Crime Stoppers at 1-800/222-TIPS (8477).

This the 11th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the sixth in Los Angeles County; three of those SoCal deaths were caused by hit-and-run drivers.

Update: The victim has been identified as 54-year old Long Beach resident Lori Ann Carreon, a beloved local occupational therapist who worked with school-age children.

She was just one block from her home when she was killed. 

Forty-year old Christopher Bryant of Los Angeles turned himself in on Wednesday, admitting that he was the driver who fled after killing Carreon.

He was booked on $50,000 bond on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, hit-and-run involving death and reckless driving.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Lori Ann Carreon and her loved ones. 

Thanks to Chris and Danny for the heads-up. 

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

40-year old man killed by truck driver while crossing Hemet street on his bicycle Sunday evening

February 3, 2026 / / 3 comments

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. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,
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