Archive for Injuries and Fatalities

Bike rider killed in Muscoy hit-and-run; first SoCal bicycling death of 2018

January 1, 2018 / / 4 comments

That didn’t take long.

The first Southern California bicycling fatality of 2018 came just an hour into the new year.

As did the first fatal hit-and-run.

According to the San Bernardino County Coroner’s office, a bike rider was struck by a driver around 1:05 am on the 3600 block of N. Cajon Blvd in Muscoy.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead at the scene less than 20 minutes later.

The driver fled the scene, apparently without stopping. No information is available on the suspect or the suspect vehicle at this time.

There’s also no information on how the collision occurred.

A street view shows a two-lane highway with a center turn lane, and no paved shoulder on either side.

This is the first Southern California bicycling fatality of 2018, and the first in San Bernardino County.

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

 

 

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

Woodland Hills bike rider killed in Lake Balboa crash; 2nd rider injured

December 29, 2017 / / 4 comments

This is the news no one wanted during the holiday season.

According to the LA Daily News, 48-year old Woodland Hills resident Matthew Dale Barnett was killed as he was riding his bike with another rider in the Lake Balboa area Wednesday evening.

Barnett and the other victim, who was not publicly identified, were riding north on the 7100 block of Hayvenhurst Ave, south of Sherman Way, when they both were struck from behind by the driver of an SUV around 6:30 pm.

Barnett was pronounced dead at the scene; the other rider was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver, who was not even mentioned in the Daily News story, remained at the scene. Police were unsure if drugs or alcohol were involved, and no word on whether the driver may have been distracted.

No arrest was made at the scene.

A street view shows Hayvenhurst has two lanes in each direction with a center turn lane, and parking on either side. The street would have likely been busy at that hour.

Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPD Detective Bill Bustos at 818/644-8021.

This is the 62nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 28th in Los Angeles County. Barnett’s death is the ninth in the City of LA since the first of the year.

And hopefully, the last.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Matthew Barnett and loved ones.

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

Bicyclist killed in Thermal crash when driver ran stop sign

December 9, 2017 / / 5 comments

A 68-year old man riding a road bike is dead because a driver couldn’t be bothered to observe a stop sign.

According to the Desert Sun, 68-year old Bellingham, Washington resident Jack Roger Laird was killed when he was struck by a driver at 12:06 pm yesterday, at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Avenue 62 in Thermal.

The driver, a woman in her mid-20s, reportedly blew through a stop sign and plowed into Laird’s bike; she stayed at the scene and was cooperating with police.

Laird died at the scene.

A street view shows a pair of two-lane roadways converging in the middle of the desert, controlled by stop signs in every direction. A CHP spokesperson says that drivers frequently ignore the stop signs.

There is a 55 mph speed limit on 62nd, and no reason to believe drivers go any slower on Fillmore.

Or that slowly, for that matter.

There’s something seriously wrong when someone can’t visit this state without going back home in a box. Or ride a bike in the middle of nowhere without worrying about drivers to whom a stop sign apparently means nothing.

This is the 61st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth in Riverside County this year. Laird is the 2nd bike rider to die in Thermal in the last four years.

That compares with 70 in SoCal this time last year, and ten in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jack Roger Laird and all his family and loved ones.

 

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

Man killed riding bike in Murrieta collision Sunday evening

December 5, 2017 / / 2 comments

A man has died following a rear-end collision while riding his bike in Murrieta Sunday evening.

The Press-Enterprise reports that the victim, later identified as 43-year old Murrieta resident Khuda Dad, was struck by the driver of a van mid-block on Washington Ave between Lemon Street and Davenport Way at 5:57 pm.

Dad was riding north on Washington when he was rear-ended by the van. He was taken to a local hospital where he died the following day.

The driver remained at the scene. Police are still investigating what caused the crash, but say drugs or alcohol don’t appear to have been a factor.

A street view shows one northbound lane on Washington with no shoulder or sidewalk, along with a center turn lane and two southbound lanes. The street appears to have a 40 mph speed limit.

Anyone with information is urged to call to Traffic Investigator Jennifer Metoyer at 951/461-6375.

This is the 60th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Khuda Dad and all his loved ones.

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

Driver uses car as weapon to murder San Bernardino bike rider in intentional hit-and-run

November 27, 2017 / / 2 comments

Once again, a bike rider has been killed in a San Bernardino crash.

But this time, it was not an accident — in any sense of the word.

According to a press release from the San Bernardino Police Department, 52-year old San Bernardino resident Elroy Preston was riding on the 1400 block of E. Date Street around 6:27 pm Sunday when he was struck by a driver, who fled the scene.

Preston was taken to a local hospital, where he died later that night.

Witnesses reported he was struck by a black Dodge Magnum driven by 34-year old Dominic Deshaun Simmons of Fontana; the two men had been at the same home just before the crash.

Police spotted a vehicle matching the description at a gas station in Rialto, and arrested Simmons on suspicion of murder. He is currently being held without bail.

Simmons has an extensive criminal record, as well as several outstanding warrants for failing to appear for hearings on various charges.

Preston also had a record, though no details are available; no word on what the relationship was between the two men, if any.

Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Oldendorf at 909/384-5619 or Sgt. Kokesh at 909/384-5613.

This is the 59th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 13th in San Bernardino County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Elroy Preston and all his loved ones.

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

Man riding motorized bicycle killed in San Bernardino collision; 12th bike death in county this year

November 18, 2017 / / 3 comments

A San Bernardino man has been killed in a crash while riding his bike.

According to the Fontana Herald News, 24-year old Michael Brian Brownstein died after he was struck by a vehicle where North E Street turns into Kendall Drive in San Bernardino around 5:49 pm on Thursday. 

He was taken to a local hospital, then transferred to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:50 pm.

The San Bernardino Sun fills in some of the missing details, reporting that Brownstein was riding north on E Street when he was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by a 70-year old woman, who remained at the scene.

She was not suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The Sun also reports that Brownstein was riding a motorized bicycle, though it doesn’t clarify whether he was on an ebike or a gas powered bike.

A street view shows an undivided roadway with two lanes in each direction, with no shoulder or parking lane, forcing bicyclists to ride in the traffic lane.

This is the 58th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 12th in San Bernardino County. That compares with seven in the county for all of last year.

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

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

Update: Two young bike riders struck in Long Beach crosswalk; teenage boy killed

November 9, 2017 / / 14 comments

It’s tragic enough when anyone is needlessly killed in a crash.

Worse when it’s a child. Especially one who doesn’t appear to have done anything wrong.

The Long Beach Post reports that a boy in his early teens was killed while riding his bike in the city Thursday afternoon.

According to the paper, the boy was riding with a preteen girl, headed east in the crosswalk on Conant Street at Woodruff Ave at 3:55 pm, when they were both struck by a driver turning left off westbound Conant onto Woodruff Ave.

They were taken to a local hospital, where the boy passed away. The girl remains hospitalized in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.

Neither victim has been publicly identified.

The driver stayed at the scene.

This is the 57th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 25th in Los Angeles County.

It’s also the third bicycling death in Long Beach this year, and at least the 13th since 2011.

Update: According to the Long Beach Report, the two victims were  waiting on the sidewalk to cross Woodruff on their bikes, and didn’t enter the crosswalk until the light turned green. The driver turned into them as they were riding across the street.

Anyone with information is urged to call LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Brian Watt at 562/570-7355.

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

 

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

61-year old bike rider killed in Rancho Cucamonga last week

November 1, 2017 / / 2 comments

Somehow we missed this one last week.

According to the Daily Bulletin, 61-year old Rancho Cucamonga resident Tyron Paul Dade was killed last Wednesday near the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Hellman Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga.

Dade was attempting to cross Foothill near the Foothill Village Shopping Center when he was struck by a westbound driver around 6:25 pm.

He was taken to a hospital in Upland where he died half an hour later.

The driver, who was not publicly identified, remained at the scene.

A street view shows Foothill is a four lane divided roadway with center left turn lanes and bike lanes in both directions.

The question is whether Dade was crossing at the intersection or mid-block, and whether he was crossing with the light. Whether or not he had lights and reflectors on his bike could also have been a factor, since the crash occurred 20 minutes after sunset.

This is the 56th bicycling fatality in Southern California, and the 11th in San Bernardino County. It’s also at least the fifth in Rancho Cucamonga since 2011.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Tyron Paul Dade and all his loved ones. 

 

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

Bike rider killed in early morning West Covina crash

October 30, 2017 / / One comment

More bad news today.

According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, a 64-year old man was killed in a collision in West Covina early this morning.

Baldwin Park Resident Alberto Velez Hernandez was riding west on West Francisquito Ave when he was struck by a driver traveling south on Sunset around 4:41 am.

No word on whether he had lights on his bike.

Hernandez was taken to a local hospital, where he died half an hour later.

A street view shows a four lane street with a left turn lane in every direction at the intersection, which is controlled by a red light. There appears to be a bike lane on Sunset, but nothing on Francisquito.

In a rare concession, the police said either Hernandez or the unnamed motorist apparently ran the red light, rather than automatically blaming the guy on the bike.

Although they followed-up by saying the crash is being investigated as an accident, even though it may have been caused by either the driver or the victim breaking the law.

This is the 55th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 24th in Los Angeles County. It’s also the fourth bicycling death in West Covina since 2013.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Alberto Velez Hernandez and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Bike SGV for the heads-up.

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

87-year old man killed riding across intersection; 2nd fatal bike Santa Ana crash in two days

October 28, 2017 / / 2 comments

For the second time in two days, a man has been killed riding a bike in Santa Ana.

According to the Orange County Register, 87-year old Lien Huu Ha was struck by a pickup as he was riding across the intersection at West 1st Street and South Center Street around 12:50 pm.

According to witnesses, Lien was riding west with traffic on 1st when he turned left at Center, and was struck by a driver headed in the opposite direction on 1st.

He was taken to UCI Medical Center, where he passed away.

The driver remained at the scene; police don’t suspect he was under the influence.

A street view shows Center connecting with 1st in a T-intersection controlled by a red light, with three lanes in each direction on 1st and a center left turn lane.

Given his age, it’s possible that Lien may have started across the street with the light, and was unable to finish crossing before the light changed. However, that is just speculation at this point.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714/245-8200.

This is the 54th bicycling fatality in Southern California, and the 10th in Orange County.

It comes after David Lee Macmillian was killed riding across Main Street on Thursday, less than six miles away.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Lien Huu Ha and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Erik Griswold for the heads-up. 

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