Archive for Bicycle Safety

Update — Bike rider killed in Griffith Park AIDS/LifeCycle hit-and-run; driver may have been under the influence

April 16, 2022 / / 14 comments

News is just breaking that someone on a bicycle was killed in a hit-and-run in LA’s Griffith Park this afternoon.

According to KCBS-2, the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was stuck by a driver shortly before 4 pm, in the 4600 block of Crystal Springs Drive.

They were dead by the time first responders arrived at 4:54 pm.

The driver fled on foot; KCBS reported on air that he or she had been captured by police.

There is no information on how the crash occurred.

Video from the scene shows two cars, one with a shattered windshield and apparently missing a wheel; a broken white road bike lies in the center of the street some distance up the road.

The station reports the victim had just left a bicycling event in the park, which may have been the AIDS/LifeCycle SoCal Day on the Ride. Another comment suggested he or she was just a mile from the finish line when he was killed.

Hopefully we’ll learn more later.

This is at least the 30th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the tenth this year in Los Angeles County.

Eleven of those deaths have been hit-and-runs.

Update: The victim reportedly was a man in his 70s. The driver appeared to be under the influence, following his arrest by park rangers. 

Update 2: AIDS/LifeCycle has identified the victim as Andrew Jelmert, a five-time participant in the annual fundraising ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. 

UPDATE 3: WeHo Times cites participants in the AIDS/LifeCycle ride expressing shock at Jelmert’s death, with one saying the driver passed him at an estimated 80 mph just moments before the crash, despite the park’s 25 mph speed limit. 

According to the site, Jelmert had worked as a real estate agent and investor for over 30 years. 

 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Andrew Jelmert and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Lionel Mares and Metaverse HOA President for the heads-up.

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

Man killed riding bicycle in the left lane of the 91 Freeway in Corona; 8th Riverside County bike death already this year

April 13, 2022 / / Comments Off on Man killed riding bicycle in the left lane of the 91 Freeway in Corona; 8th Riverside County bike death already this year

Once again, someone has been killed implacably riding in the traffic lanes of a major freeway.

According to a writer for the Press-Enterprise, the victim was struck by a driver while riding on the 91 Freeway in Corona early Monday morning.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was reportedly riding in the left lane of the eastbound 91, west of McKinley Street, when he swerved to the right and was struck by a driver in the next lane.

He died at the scene.

Then again, there’s little chance of someone on a bicycle surviving a crash at freeway speeds.

A CHP spokesman speculated that he may have been living in a homeless camo in the area, and using the freeway to get to McKinley. Which doesn’t make his death any less tragic.

This is at least the 29th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and remarkably, the eighth already this year in Riverside County.

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

 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

61-year old bike rider killed in Chatsworth collision Tuesday night; 3rd killed in San Fernando Valley neighborhood this year

April 9, 2022 / / One comment

Yet another person has been killed riding a bicycle in LA’s Chatsworth neighborhood this year.

According to KFI-AM, 61-year old John Manahan was identified Saturday as the victim of Tuesday’s collision.

Manahan was riding near 10201 Mason Ave, south of Devonshire Street, when he was struck by a driver just before 8:30 pm.

He died at the scene.

Initial video from the scene indicated Manahan was riding a minibike. However, it looks like a throttle-controlled ebike, and was identified by the police as a bicycle.

Warning: The victim’s body is clearly visible covered with a tarp. So be sure you’re comfortable seeing that before you click play. 

The crash appears to have taken place in the southbound lanes of Mason in front of a large apartment complex, across from a shopping center.

You can still see the headlight from Manahan’s bike shining down on the street.

Unfortunately, no other information is available. Or likely to be at this point.

This is at least the 28th bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

It’s also the fifth in the City of Los Angeles. Remarkably, three of those deaths have occurred in Chatsworth, within just over a mile of one another.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

74-year old Hemet man killed in San Jacinto collision, victim allegedly swerved into passing car

March 27, 2022 / / 3 comments

I don’t think so.

News broke last night that a man suffered major injuries when he somehow swerved into a car while riding in San Jacinto Saturday evening.

It seemed unlikely then.

It seems more unlikely now, after learning the victim has died.

According to My News LA, 74-year old Hemet resident Pedro Garcia was fatally injured he as he was riding in the right lane on southbound Lake Park Drive, below Soboba Road, in San Jacinto around 6:30 pm Saturday.

Riverside County Sheriff’s investigators allege Garcia somehow swerved left for no apparent reason and crashed into the side of a passing car, falling into the roadway.

He was taken to Riverside University Health System Medical Center in Moreno Valley, where he died at 11:13 pm.

The driver remained at the scene and called for help.

It’s possible that Garcia may have moved to his left without looking, or hearing the car coming up beside him.

However, it seems more likely that the driver may have been passing too close, or swerved to his right and sideswiped Garcia’s bike.

Particularly if there were no independent witnesses who observed the crash. Which seems likely, given the remote location on a weekend evening.

It’s also extremely difficult to pinpoint the exact position of a bicycling collision, due to the lack of skid marks or other forensic evidence.

Unfortunately, Garcia isn’t around to give his side of the story, which leaves the driver’s statement as the only evidence for deputies to base their investigation on. And drivers have a vested interest in seeing their own actions in the best possible light, regardless of the circumstances.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call Deputy Ray Cortez of the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station at 951/654-2702, or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at 951/776-1099.

This is at least the 27th bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Pedro Garcia and his loved ones.

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

26-year old man on bicycle killed by ice cream truck driver in San Marcos crash; victim reportedly under the influence

March 24, 2022 / / Comments Off on 26-year old man on bicycle killed by ice cream truck driver in San Marcos crash; victim reportedly under the influence

At least the driver stuck around this time.

Several nearly identical sources are reporting a man riding a bike was killed by the driver of an ice cream truck in San Marcos Wednesday night.

The collision occurred at the intersection of Pico Ave and West Mission Road a little after 8 pm.

According to witnesses, the victim, identified only as a 26-year old man, was riding southwest across the intersection against a red light, when he was struck by the driver turning west onto Mission.

The only way that makes sense is if he was riding south on Pico, and was struck in a left cross when the driver turned with the left arrow, which would mean the driver had a red light.

He died at the scene.

San Diego sheriff’s deputies were quick to blame the victim, suggesting that he may have been under the influence, and said he wasn’t wearing a helmet.

There’s no word on why they suspect he was drunk, however. And as we’ve noted before, whether or not he had a helmet only matters if he died of a head injury, or if the collision might have been survivable with one.

That’s questionable, given that video from the scene shows it was a full-size food truck, rather than a smaller van, that hit him.

Use caution viewing the video, though, since it shows a blurred shot of the covered victim lying in the street next to his bike.

This is at least the 26th bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the second that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

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

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

Bike-riding man killed in El Monte hit-and-run; fourth fatal SoCal bike hit-and-run in three weeks

March 23, 2022 / / 4 comments

Another day, another bike rider murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

According to My News LA, El Monte police are searching for a driver who didn’t have the basic human decency to stick around after running down a man riding a bicycle.

The victim, identified as 59-year old El Monte resident Ruben Vicario, was struck at Lower Azusa Road and El Monte Ave around 9 pm Tuesday.

He died at the scene.

The suspect vehicle was described as a red or burgundy 2019-2021 Toyota sedan; no description was given for the driver.

There’s no word on how the collision occurred.

Anyone with information is urged to call the El Monte Police Department at 626/580-2100.

This is at least the 25th bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

Ten of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs, including the last four in a row.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Ruben Vicario and his loved ones. 

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

Bike-riding man left to die by hit-and-run driver in Cypress Park; 9th fatal SoCal bicycling hit-and-run this year

March 22, 2022 / / Comments Off on Bike-riding man left to die by hit-and-run driver in Cypress Park; 9th fatal SoCal bicycling hit-and-run this year

Yet another bike rider has been murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

The Eastsider is reporting that a man was killed riding his bike in LA’s Cypress Park neighborhood Saturday evening.

According to the LAPD, the victim was riding east on San Fernando Road near Pepper Street when he was rear-ended by an unknown driver around 7:15 pm.

The victim was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was described only as a man in his 50s or older, which suggests that he has still not been identified three days after his death.

Police investigators have been unable to find any witnesses to the crash, but are attempting to identify the suspect vehicle from debris left at the scene.

The crash occurred somewhere near the park. It happened just minutes after sunset, so victim should have still been visible, with or without lights.

Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPD Detective Berdin at 213/833-3713 or email 31958@lapd.online.

This is at least the 24th bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County. It’s also the fourth that has been publicly reported in the City of Los Angeles.

Nine of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs.

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

Thanks to Streetsblog’s Joe Linton for the heads-up. 

 

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

Driver leaves bike-riding woman to die alone in violent Riverside crash; 8th fatal SoCal bicycling hit-and-run this year

March 17, 2022 / / Comments Off on Driver leaves bike-riding woman to die alone in violent Riverside crash; 8th fatal SoCal bicycling hit-and-run this year

It never stops.

Yet another Southern California bike rider has been murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

According to LA’s FOX-11, Riverside police found a woman lying dead on the side of the roadway early Wednesday morning, her bike and belongings strewn for a full block behind her.

The officers discovered the victim, who has not been publicly identified, while responding to a call at Orange and Center streets in Riverside a few minutes before 2 am.

There was no sign of the driver, and no description of the suspect vehicle. It’s not clear if she was riding or walking the bike at the time of the crash.

The lengthy debris field suggests she was either struck at high speed, or she and her bike were dragged under the vehicle for at least a block.

There’s no way of knowing at this time how long she had been there, or if she could have survived if the driver had stopped and called for help, as both the law and basic human decency requires.

When and if the driver is found, they’ll face a maximum of just four years for felony hit-and-run resulting in death under California’s overly lenient hit-and-run statute.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Riverside Police Department.

This is at least the 23rd bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

Eight of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

15-year old boy riding salmon killed in Riverside hit-and-run; 22nd SoCal bike death this year, 7th fatal hit-and-run

March 3, 2022 / / 6 comments

The carnage continues on Southern California streets, as yet another person riding a bicycle has been killed by a heartless hit-and-run driver.

This time, the victim was just 15-years old.

According to multiple sources, he was struck by a driver while riding in the 2200 block of Main Street in Riverside, near Poplar Avenue, around 9:30 pm Tuesday.

The victim, identified as Colton resident Javier Gonzales, died at the scene less than 25 minutes later, after suffering major injuries.

Security cam video acquired by KCBS2/KCAL9 shows Gonzales was riding against traffic with three other boys when he was struck by the driver of a speeding pickup, who kept going without slowing down.

His friends immediately dropped their bikes and chased after the driver, but weren’t able to catch him or get the license plate.

Police are looking for a black or dark-colored full size pickup. Anyone with information is urged to call Riverside Police Department Traffic Detective Jeff Derouin at 951/826-8722, or email Jderouin@riversideca.gov.

They note that this is the fifth fatal crash in the city in just six days. But the other drivers at least had the basic human decency to remain at the scene.

Ironically, the driver would have been unlikely to face charges in this case if he or she had simply stopped after the crash. Now they face up to four years behind bars for felony hit-and-run.

This is at least the 22nd bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

Seven of those deaths have been hit-and-runs.

Update: Police have arrested a 37-year old man as the hit-and-run driver who killed Javier Gonzales. As of March 24th, Rosendo Morales Caldera was being held without bail. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Javier Gonzales and all his family and loved ones.

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

24-year old road cyclist Christopher Sanchez killed in collision on Rim of the World Highway in San Bernardino

March 3, 2022 / / 17 comments

The bad news just keeps on coming.

Just two days after a former Upland councilmember died following a collision while riding his bike, another man has been killed while bicycling in San Bernardino County.

According to the Mountain News, 24-year old Christopher Sanchez was riding south on State Highway 18, also known at the Rim of the World Highway, at lower Old Waterman Canyon Road in San Bernardino when he run down by an SUV driver minutes after 5:45 pm Monday.

Sanchez died at the scene, shortly after being removed from the guardrail he was entangled with. The spandex-clad rider was still wearing his helmet, but was suffering from massive lower body injuries.

(Warning: The Mountain News story describes his injuries in needless detail, so be forewarned before you click on the link.)

The 50-something driver, who was not identified, apparently ran Sanchez down from behind, just yards after a sign warning drivers to watch for bicycles.

It’s not clear if the SUV driver was attempting a dangerous pass, or never saw Sanchez in the first place. Although to his credit, he remained at the scene, and was reportedly distraught after the crash.

Sanchez was a recent graduate of Cal State San Bernardino, and was going to start work at the Riverside County Public Health Department later this week. He had been riding in the area since he was 15-years old, and was very familiar with the roadway.

But as the Mountain News reports, someone on a bicycle can do everything right, and still pay the price.

Meanwhile, the first driver to stop at the scene has already returned to the crash site to place flowers and install a ghost bike for Sanchez.

Anyone who wants to help with Sanchez’s funeral expenses can contact his mother, Kristina Sanchez (RVS), c/o Victoria Elementary, 2910 Arlington Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506.

This is at least the 21st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Christopher Sanchez and all his family and loved ones. 

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