Archive for Bicycle Safety

Run over by a riding mower, near-killer PV speed bumps to stay

May 31, 2011 / / 9 comments

As some of you may know, my oldest brother runs a dog team up in the Anchorage area, competing in the famed Iditarod sled dog race four times, and finishing three.

The other left him and his team huddled in a shelter in subzero temperatures, waiting for rescue with a broken sled — not to mention a broken leg, frostbite and a bruised shoulder.

The dogs were just fine, though.

So maybe he was in the market for a safer form of transportation, or one that works a little better once the snow melts. Or maybe, like the rest of us, he was just trying to save a little with the current sky high price of gas.

Regardless, my brother, Eric O. Rogers — perhaps the only particle physicist and dog musher on the planet — has now officially joined the ranks of bike riders.

And promptly gotten himself run over.

By a riding mower.

It seems he rode his bike to the local Lowes home improvement store, and stopped in the parking lot to ask an employee where he could find a bike rack. And as he was stopped on his bike, he was hit by man on a riding lawnmower.

Fortunately, the mower wasn’t in use at the time, and he escaped with nothing more than a little road rash.

And I’m sure you already know the answer to the question that nearly got him turned into mulch.

Lowes, at least that one, doesn’t have bike racks.

………

In a decision that defies common sense, the City Council of Palos Verdes Estates has voted to keep the speed bumps that nearly killed cyclist Richard Schlickman.

As you may recall, Schlickman was critically injured when he hit the newly installed speed bumps — excuse me, speed cushions — while riding downhill at speed, with little or no warning to cyclists that they had been built on a popular riding route. He had been riding downhill at speed when he hit the bumps, sliding nearly 80 feet down the roadway before coming to a stop; fortunately, word is he continues to make slow but steady improvement from what could have been a fatal fall.

But rather than remove or replace the potentially killer cushions, the council inexplicably voted to keep them in place.

Evidently, they haven’t yet crippled or killed enough cyclists in their effort to tame local traffic. Maybe someone should tell them there are alternative methods to calm traffic that don’t put riders lives at risk.

I hope PVE has a good lawyer.

Thanks to Jim Lyle for the heads-up.

………

Hap Dougherty shares another great set of cycling photos. This time, it’s a Memorial Day ride that took him from Westwood’s Los Angeles National Cemetery, throughout the Westside and up the L.A. River Bike Path — home to this weekend’s L.A. River Ride.

It does make you wonder why the cemetery insists on banning bikes, when so many riders just want to pay their respects.

Myself included.

………

Over the weekend I found myself drawn into a discussion on the West Seattle Blog, possibly the nation’s leading hyperlocal news site — sorry Patch — managed by a couple of longtime friends.

One of their readers was shocked and offended to see a cyclist towing his child in a bike trailer, assuming imminent danger — if not death — for the parentally neglected kid.

Problem is, while motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for children, few, if any, of those deaths result from collisions with bicycle trailers. In terms of sheer numbers, children are at far greater risk riding in a car with their parents, or simply walking on the sidewalk.

One of the writers tried to make the point that even if just one child was killed as a result of riding in a bike trailer, it would be one too many — especially if it was your child.

That conveniently ignores the nearly 7,000 or more passengers killed in motor vehicle collisions each year — many of them children. As well as the more than 4,000 pedestrians of all ages killed every year. Each of whom was someone’s child.

So rather than getting up in arms over a potential, hypothetical danger, we should be concerned about the proven risk posed by careless, aggressive, intoxicated or distracted drivers, who kill over 33,000 people on American streets every year — including a minimum of 630 cyclists.

Sadly, there are none so blind as those who cannot see through the glare of their own windshields.

……..

Finally, thanks to Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious for stopping by to say hi as he passed through town over the weekend, along with his lovely family. It was a true pleasure to finally meet someone I’ve only traded emails with, and who’s work I have always enjoyed and admired.

And while I neglected to take any pictures, he did capture great shot of the new intern, who has been helping more than she knows by sleeping behind the sofa this morning and allowing me to work uninterrupted for a change.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, General / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

91-year old cyclist dies in Riverside

May 26, 2011 / / 6 comments

The Press-Enterprise reports that 91-year old Riverside resident Fred Walsh has died, eight days after he was hit by a pickup while riding his bike.

The collision occurred at 1:09 pm on Monday, May 16th on California Avenue just east of Rucker Lane in Riverside; he passed away from his injuries Tuesday night at Riverside Community Hospital.

No other information is available at this time.

It should be uplifting story that he was still riding at that age; instead, it’s just heartbreaking that his life was taken away. My deepest sympathy to Fred Walsh’s friends and family.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

Collision maps reveal L.A.’s unsafe routes to school; more tragedy in pro cycling (and not just Lance)

May 24, 2011 / / 2 comments

I knew L.A. wasn’t the safest place to bike or ride.

But it never really sank in until I saw the maps.

Safe Routes to Schools has joined with the LACBC to call attention to just how far this city has to go before children to walk or bike to many schools, especially in lower income areas. New collision maps based on TIMS data (the Transportation Injury Mapping System) clearly shows how many injuries and fatalities occur near schools.

Just take a look at this map showing three years of collision data for South L.A. alone.

And I hope you have a stronger stomach than me when you realize that every dot on that map represents a human being injured or killed on our streets.

Of course, they weren’t all children. But these maps make the strongest argument yet that we have to improve safety around our schools.

“Traffic collisions, and the death or injury of Los Angeles’ people, especially our youngest community members, is heartbreaking and impacts everyone,” says Alexis Lantz, Planning and Policy Director at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

While the city has recently allocated $1.2 million to develop a citywide strategy to provide safer routes for children and their parents to get to and from school — and anyone else who happens to ride or bike nearby — there’s clearly a lot to do.

And a long way to go.

“Now with the TIMS data, the State of California has provided an amazing tool that allows us to see the neighborhoods, intersections and streets of greatest need and make strategic investments.  We need the City to provide staff, and create a plan to implement safety improvements quickly, so we can see our transportation priorities shift.  For too long, there has been a focus on moving cars to the detriment of our health and communities, the City of Los Angeles needs to put safety and people first,” says Jessica Meaney, California Policy Manager, Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

I mean, seriously. Just look at the maps.

………

In pro cycling news, Movistar rider Xavier Tondo was killed in a freak accident when he was hit by a garage door while leaving for a ride; friends and fellow pros remember him. Conspiracy theorists may note that he had recently told authorities about being approached by a doping ring.

Mikel Nieve scores his second mountain stage win in the Giro, as Alberto Contador surges to more than a four minute lead leading up to Monday’s rest day before the final week of racing.

Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner cross the finish line atop Mt. Baldy at virtually the same time to clinch the Amgen Tour of California for Horner. The Claremont Cyclist spends the morning with Rabobank. What it’s like to ride the Mt. Baldy stage of the AToC. Horner wraps it up on Sunday as HTC rider Matthew Goss wins the final stage and Lance Armstrong’s Team RadioShack takes the first two places in the general classification. Bicycling offers video of post-race reactions, while the Daily News is too busy talking with fans to get the details straight.

Between Chris Horner’s exciting run and the race up Mt. Baldy, this is the first Tour of California that seemed, to me at least, like a legitimate contender as a top-tier cycling race. Now if they can add another challenging stage or two — like maybe a peak-to-peak route around the San Diego area ending with a climb up Mt. Palomar, where snow wouldn’t be a factor — they might have something. Although going head-to-head with the Giro will always be a limiting factor.

And in case you’ve been in a coma the past few days, CBS’ 60 Minutes reported that former friends and teammates of Lance Armstrong  have turned on him to accuse the seven time TdF champ of doping; no one seems to care that George Hincapie reportedly confessed, though. If the accusations against Lance Armstrong are proven, he faces serious jail time; at the very least, his reputation will be in tatters. Tyler Hamilton’s lawyer discusses why the rider finally came clean. Former pro Scott Mercier says doping was pervasive when he was racing in the ’90, and UCI responds with the expected shock and indignation.

A writer for Road.cc asks the same question a lot of riders are asking right now: what happens when your idol and inspiration lets you down? And Italian police reportedly find nothing in an impeccably timed raid on Team RadioSchack’s hotel at the Giro.

………

LACBC releases a great new video explaining the upcoming 7th Street road diet and bike lanes in your choice of three popular languages. Meanwhile, those new LED lights on the Elysian Valley section of the L.A. River Bike Path are out of order for the foreseeable future after thieves steal the copper wiring.

………

Streetsblog wants your questions for LAPD Sgt. David Krumer, the department’s popular point man for the cycling community. LADOT Bicycle Services unveils a nifty new website. L.A. bike attorney Howard Krepack argues that the safety of cyclists has to be considered during road work, as well. Richard Risemberg looks at the art of riding in Santa Monica. CicLAvia wants to know what you think about the proposed expansion routes into Boyle Heights and South L.A. The Times looks at some unusual bike designs. Santa Monica riders review that city’s proposed bike plan. The recent presidential visit gives a UCLA employee a chance to ride the Westside.

A reader corrects the Press-Enterprise for saying cyclists are required to ride as far right as possible; the writer insists that possible and practicable mean the same thing. A Fresno-area cyclist’s tragic death in a solo bike accident could help up to eight other people through organ donation; I’d want some good to come out of it for someone if anything ever happened to me. Surprisingly, California ranks 20th on the list of bike-friendly states; surprising we’re that high, that is.

USA Today notes a nationwide movement to make the streets safe for cyclists; thanks to Zeke for the heads-up. That great epiphany moment that turns non-cyclists into confirmed riders is a myth. Fifteen reasons to fall in love with your bike. Elly Blue continues her excellent Bikenomics series with a look at riding while broke. Evidently believing them to be magic talismans that will ward off injury, a writer calls bike helmets the most important safe cycling habit — above, say, stopping for traffic signals, remaining visible or riding with traffic, or any of the other riding habits that might keep a helmet from being necessary. A firefighter’s career could be over after a cycling hit-and-run. New Jersey authorities seem unclear on the concept, as they instruct riders to share the road with fast moving traffic, rather than requiring speeding drivers to slow down; it may be time to retire Share the Road entirely. A New York actor and personal therapist explains why he’ll be riding the 10th Anniversary AIDS Ride. In a classic example of press bias, an 11-year old West Virginia boy is sideswiped while riding his bike, yet the local press reports that he collided with the car; thankfully, they note the car was not damaged.

The return of bike season means the return of road rage. Buy a Victorian London house, and get your very own bike museum. Police tell cyclists to stay off the 2012 Olympic mountain bike course. Scott cyclists pay to ride a new freeway for just one day, though not all do it to celebrate. This is what bike parking is supposed to look like; a Brit company tweets to take credit. A video look at the Pillars of Italian Cycling. How about a Norwegian-style bike lift? Jakarta gets its first bike lane, which immediately turns into parking for three-wheeled pedicabs.

Finally, video captures a cyclist getting by a car, and landing on his feet. And apparently, the solution to dropping off a bike and still getting back home is to throw your Dahon on the back of your Urbana — sort of like tossing a Mini in the back of a Hummer.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Attention cyclists: just share the damn sidewalk, already. And don’t get killed in KY after dark.

May 20, 2011 / / 3 comments

KCET reports on rude cyclists unwilling to share the road — or the sidewalk, for that matter — with pedestrians. Even though we expect other people to share the streets with us.

But let’s face it. There will always be jerks on two wheels, just as there are countless jerks on four. And anyone who hasn’t encountered bipedal jerks on L.A.’s sidewalks hasn’t spent much time walking in this fair city. Or trying, with more or less success, to navigate around the pedestrians who sometimes clog the various off-road bike paths that bisect L.A.

But whatever mode of transportation and/or recreation we choose, we all have a responsibility to share common spaces safely and courteously, whether or not we think the other party belongs there.

As the most vulnerable users, pedestrians should be given the same sort of space we expect from passing drivers, regardless of how careless and clueless they may seem at times. Especially on the sidewalk, where they have every right to be safe from the rampages of rude, careless and barely under control riders.

Lord knows, I’ve come close to punching a few myself for riding close enough and fast enough to put my wife and I at risk while we walk.

And God help anyone who endangers my dog.

Not to mention that you’re significantly safer on the street — despite how it may seem — where you’re more visible and less likely to get right hooked or hit by drivers barreling out of driveways.

On the other hand, complaining about cyclists on a bike path is like complaining about all those damn cars on the 405.

Then again, it doesn’t seem to be a new problem.

………

Instead of focusing on why the driver hit and killed a cyclist, Kentucky authorities question why he was riding his bike on a rural road at 9:15 pm.

How about because he wanted to, and had every right to be there?

Fortunately for the driver, he claims he just didn’t see Illinois Institute of Technology student Yishi Wei, which of course absolves him of any and all responsibility to operate his vehicle in a safe manner, or avoid people directly in front of him.

Police also question why Wei had a hand-drawn map listing distances between towns, yet had no change of clothes to indicate he was planning to stay overnight; clearly, they’re unaware that some cyclists actually enjoy long distance rides. Let alone ever heard of randonneuring.

An earlier article notes that he was wearing dark, non-reflective clothing, and that the bike had reflectors, but apparently not lights. Police make a point of mentioning that Wei wasn’t wearing a helmet.

While any non-distracted driver should have been easily able to spot a rear reflector, there is a reason why smart cyclists wear bright clothing and light themselves up like Christmas trees after dark.

And even then, it’s not always enough.

And for all those police spokespersons and reporters who seem to be endlessly unclear on the concept, there’s not a single bike helmet made anywhere on the planet that can protect the rider from a rear-end collision at highway speeds.

None. Nada. Zero. Zip.

Got it?

………

AG2R’s John Gadret reeled in Katusha’s Daniel Moreno, the last survivor of the day’s breakaway, to win Stage 11 of the Giro. Cavendish wins the final sprint stage and goes home, while Contador holds almost a one-minute lead overall. And t-shirts sales have raised $22,000 so far for the family of fallen Giro rider Wouter Waylandt, who was laid to rest on Thursday with a eulogy from friend Tyler Farrar.

On the other side of the Atlantic, 39-year old Chris Horner of the RadioShack team won an impressive victory in Stage 4 of the AToC; he feels under appreciated after 17 years as a pro cyclist, and thinks he can win it all. A spectator is hit by a car and seriously injured near the end of the race.

Horner holds onto the leader’s jersey in Stage 5, won by 21-year old Slovakian cyclist Peter Sagan. The Amgen Tour of California heads to a big finish in Thousand Oaks, where a local cyclist will be honored as a cancer survivor two years after doctors gave her six months to live. A look at the man behind Team Type 1, established to call attention to the battle against diabetes.

And Just Another Cyclist considers what’s in a multi-hyphenated  name when it comes to AToC teams.

………

Walk Eagle Rock takes an in-depth and insightful look at the many problems facing Eagle Rock Blvd. KCET offers eight off-road routes to celebrate Bike Week, which kind of defeats the purpose of Bike Week seeking to normalize cycling on city streets, doesn’t it? Streetsblog’s Bike to Work series continues with Michelle Chavez writing about the challenges of biking in the Antelope Valley. Will Campbell accompanies his wife on her first Bike to Work Day. Better Bike Beverly Hills’ Mark Elliot casts his insightful eye on Bob Mionske’s Bicycling and the Law. Streetsblog’s Damien Newton wants your stories, photos and videos of Bike to Work Day. The Times briefly covers Wednesday’s Downtown Ride for Bike Week; the Source offers a little more detail while LADOT Bike Blog offers the best coverage, as usual. Metro rewards bike commuters with their Human Powered Commuter Awards. Reimagining San Fernando Road as a more pleasant place to walk and bike; than again, anything would be an improvement. Flying Pigeon says L.A. is surrounded by cities that are trying a lot harder. LA Brakeless will have a public opening party on Saturday the 20th to celebrate their new pop-up location. Santa Monica Museum of Art offers a Cycle Chic Saturday to conclude Bike Week. The Beach Cities Cycling Club offers free bike corrals for events throughout the South Bay. Art of the Group Ride looks at the history of the Blessing of the Bicycles.

People for Bikes wishes you a happy Bike to Work Week. Five tips for bike commuting. New data on the economic benefits of cycling, which could be the forgotten answer to energy policy, as well. Turning your bike into a basket case. Tucson Velo visits Los Angeles. There’s finally a settlement in Portland’s infamous case of the disappearing bike lane, despite the ruling of an apparently incompetent judge. A St. Louis cyclist brushes off a close call. After receiving a Purple Heart as a result of an Iraqi IED, an Ohio veteran fights for his life after his bike is hit by a car. The NYPD backs off their heavy handed crackdown on Central Park cyclists.

A human life is worth about the price of a mid-sized TV in Ontario. How to tell when it’s time to find a new bike shop. Despite last year’s rash of bike deaths, London streets are the safest overall since records have been kept; a British MP calls for sensors that could spot a cyclist in a truck’s blind spot. London cyclists are getting mugged for their bikes. A Brit driver gets a whopping 100 hours of community service for the hit-and-run death of a 17-year old cyclist. An investigative journalist is out to eliminate Scotland’s popular Etape Calendonia because it closes local roads for three hours once a year — never mind that the roads are open the other 8757 hours every year. A third-tier Aussie cyclist faces a two-year ban after being caught using recreational drugs.

Finally, more former friends and teammates turn against Lance Armstrong, as Tyler Hamilton says he witnessed Lance taking EPO.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Roadway Courtesy / Tags: , , , ,

71-year old Canoga Park man killed by hit-and-run driver

May 19, 2011 / / Comments Off on 71-year old Canoga Park man killed by hit-and-run driver

In yet another fatal hit-and-run, a 71-year old Canoga Park man died of injuries he received while riding in a crosswalk around 12:15 pm Saturday.

According to the Daily News, Eduardo Perez was hit by a small black 4-door SUV in a right hook collision while riding his bike at the intersection of Sherman Way and Canoga Avenue. The vehicle was traveling east on Sherman Way when it hit Perez while turning onto Canoga; the driver fled without stopping.

Perez died Monday in a local hospital.

Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Danny Martinez at 818-644-8032 or Detective I. Krajchir at 818-644-8034; or cal Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

This is the 7th fatal hit-and-run in Southern California this year, and the 10th bike-related death in L.A. County since the first of the year.

In related news, police have identified a suspect in last month’s hit-and-run death of 17-year old Alex Romero, killed on De Soto Avenue when he was run down by a speeding driver attempting to pass a large vehicle on the right.

The LAPD is being tight-lipped about the details while they attempt to make an arrest.

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

Update: Teenage driver tries to pass himself off as witness in Fountain Valley hit-and-run

May 16, 2011 / / 6 comments

Late last night, I reported on the death of a cyclist in Fountain Valley, with virtually no information other than the time and location of the collision.

As usual, the morning brings more details.

An anonymous tip reported that the case was a hit-and-run, and that a 19-year old driver had been arrested after calling police investigators claiming to be a witness.

Now the Long Beach Press-Telegram confirms Huntington Beach resident Adam Garrett was arrested yesterday after further investigation revealed he was the driver in the collision, rather than an innocent bystander.

Twenty-five-year old Hung Khac Do, also of Huntington Beach, was riding west on Warner Avenue near the 405 when he was allegedly hit by Garrett’s 1994 Toyota Camry just after 3 am Sunday, and left in the street to die as Garrett fled the scene.

My source reports that Garret had previously been ticketed for failure to stop at a stop sign, as well as failing to wear a helmet while bicycling while still a minor. Now he’s under arrest for suspicion of felony hit-and-run, facing up to four years in prison, plus any additional charges that may be filed.

Police are urging anyone with information to call the Fountain Valley Police traffic bureau at 714/593-4481.

He is the 29th cyclist to be killed in Southern California so far this year — an average of 1.5 each week — and the 5th to be killed in Orange County since January 1st. This is the 6th fatal hit-and-run involving a cyclist this year.

My deepest sympathy to the friends and family of Hung Do.

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

Orange County man hit and killed by car in Fountain Valley

May 15, 2011 / / Comments Off on Orange County man hit and killed by car in Fountain Valley

The Orange County Register reports that 25-year old Hung Do of Huntington Beach was killed early Sunday. Do was hit by a car on Warner Avenue near the 405 in Fountain Valley just after 3 am, and was pronounced dead at UCI Medical Center in Orange at 3:42 am.

No other information is available at this time.

He is the 29th cyclist to be killed in Southern California so far this year — an average of 1.5 each week — and the 5th to be killed in Orange County since January 1st.

Thanks to Allan Alessio for the heads-up.

Update: More information has come in indicating this was a hit-and-run, and a suspect has been arrested after calling police pretending to be a witness.

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

Satnam Singh to be arraigned today for Wednesday’s drunken triple hit-and-run rampage in Ventura

May 13, 2011 / / 3 comments

According to cyclist/attorney Dj Wheels, Satnam Singh will be arraigned today for the alleged triple hit-and-run rampage on Telegraph Road in Ventura.

Singh’s drive home from work Wednesday evening left five people injured, starting with a mother and daughter riding their bikes single file in the bike lane, followed by a family stopped at a red light in their pickup. And ended, tragically, with the death of 20-year old Ventura College student Nick Haverland as he road his bike to take his final exams.

And yes, I’m resisting the urge to call it murder. Just barely.

Let alone what I think about someone who could do this.

It is possible that Singh was so drunk he had no idea what he was doing. But I’m waiting to see what his blood alcohol level was at the time of his arrest; speaking strictly for myself, I’d consider anything less than .20 to be proof of intent.

If you’re in the Ventura area today, I’d strongly suggest attending the arraignment if you can. A room full of cyclists would go a long way towards showing just how seriously we take this case.

Wheels reports the hearing will take place in Room 13 of the Ventura County Superior Court, 800 South Victoria in Ventura. If you can make there, I’ll be happy to share whatever thoughts or impressions you may have.

Meanwhile, thanks to the Ventura County Star for their moving profile of Haverland; I’ve complained many times that press coverage too often reports the barest facts following a collision, without ever giving a hint of the human being behind the story.

The Star makes it very clear just who he was.

And that his death was a loss, not just for his family and friends, but for all of us.

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

Update: Rampaging hit-and-run Hummer driver kills one cyclist, injures five other people

May 12, 2011 / / 16 comments

Unbelievable.

Starting around 6:50 pm Wednesday, 49-year old Satnam Singh of Ventura allegedly went on a drunken rampage on that city’s Telegraph Road, leaving trail of victims in his in wake.

Five people were injured — including a mother and her 13-year old daughter riding their bikes single file in the bike lane. Tragically, 20-year old Ventura College student Nick Haverland was killed while riding his bike with a friend on their way to take their last finals, just three miles from the school.

A police spokesman said Singh was traveling westbound on his way home from his job in Santa Paula when the carnage began, first hitting the two women, leaving them with injuries including broken bones. He then fled the scene before plowing into a pickup stopped for a red light at Petit Avenue, injuring a couple and their 16 year-old son.

Once again, he kept going, eventually drifting into the bike lane to smash into Haverland near the intersection of Mara Avenue; a witness reports an extremely hard collision, apparently killing Haverland instantly.

Again, he fled from the scene, this time followed by a witness — possibly the friend Haverland had been riding with — eventually stopping at his home on the 100 block of Kennedy Avenue, just one block south of Telegraph.

When police arrived, Singh was still sitting inside his vehicle, which some have identified as a Hummer H3; the vehicle had significant damage, and police were unable to open the driver’s side door as a result. Singh refused to exit his Hummer, resulting in a 20 minute standoff.

Police eventually entered from the rear hatch and dragged Singh out; he was reportedly taken to Ventura County Medical Center for treatment of bite wounds from police dogs.

It’s just too bad that the drunken S.O.B. was probably too intoxicated to feel them.

Inexplicably, the police report identified the exact address of Singh’s home, almost inviting retaliatory attacks against the driver; like the other press reports, I’m refraining from posting it here or linking to the report for that reason.

I hope everyone has the sense to refrain from retaliation and let the justice system do its job.

Singh was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony hit-and-run and felony DUI. The investigation is ongoing, and hopefully will result in adding murder charge for Haverland’s death.

The first collision could have been the result of a drunken error. But it’s difficult to argue that by the third collision, it was anything but an intentional act.

According to the Ventura County Star, Haverland was a 2009 graduate of Ventura’s Foothill Technology High School. His former principal describes him as “a great kid,” reporting that both staff and students are very upset by the news.

As an aside, Rex Reese emailed that Singh’s name is an anagram for Man Ass Thing.

Works for me.

One thing is certain. Life as he knew it is over for Singh.

Life for Haverland is just over.

My heartfelt sympathy to the family and friend’s of Nick Haverland, and best wishes to all the victims.

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

Breaking news: Rampaging hit-and-run Hummer driver kills one cyclist, injures four other people

May 11, 2011 / / 7 comments

According to KTLA-5, which was the first to post the news several sources are reporting, a rampaging hit-and-run driver was involved in three separate collisions in Ventura Thursday night, resulting in four injuries and one fatality.

In what appears to be a either an intentional assault or a case of extreme intoxication, the 49-year first collided with a mother and daughter riding their bikes, leaving both with minor injuries. He then hit another vehicle, also injuring the occupants slightly, before hitting a third cyclist and killing him.

According to KNBC-4, the victim was a male college student riding with a friend on his way to Ventura College to take his last finals. All three collisions occurred along Ventura’s Telegraph Road.

KNBC identifies the suspect as 49-year old Satnam Singh, who was arrested after a standoff at his home in the 100 block of Kennedy Avenue.

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