Archive for Violence & Crime

Yet another life wasted, as 15-year old bike-riding boy killed in apparent Santa Ana gang shooting

September 10, 2012 / / One comment

Okay, so this isn’t exactly breaking news.

At first, I was waiting for more information. Then I found myself putting it off as long as possible because I just didn’t want to write about the colossal waste of life and immense idiocy of yet another gang shooting.

All because a boy was riding his bike in the wrong neighborhood, or wearing the wrong colors.

Or just, you know, because.

And yet, there it is.

About 6 pm Sunday night, 15-year old Jimmy Hernandez was riding on the 2000 block of West Myrtle Street in Santa Ana when a vehicle pulled up next to him. One of the people inside fired a single shot; Hernandez fell off his bike and tried to walk away before collapsing and dying at the scene, as the driver sped away.

A Santa Ana gang detective stopped a burgundy Lexus in the area, leading to the arrest of known gang members and convicted felons Brian Jose Miguel and Alberto Santana, 18 and 20-years old, respectively.

KABC-7 reports Miguel will be charged with murder, while Santana faces a parole violation related to the murder.

The two are suspected in two other recent shootings, as well.

Now one young life has been snuffed out, almost before it has even begun. And two others have been carelessly thrown away, likely facing a lifetime behind bars.

And if that’s not a waste of life, I don’t know what is.

This is the fourth fatal shooting of a bike rider in Southern California so far this year, and the first in Orange County. That compares with nine last year.

My deepest sympathy for Hernandez and his family.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , ,

The Biking Black Hole can’t get it right; no justice in Texas, and road rage is all the rage these days

September 8, 2012 / / 7 comments

A little news and a whole lot of links to wrap up the week.

………

Police in the Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills offer safety tips for cyclists, but can’t manage to get it quite right.

Bike riders are required to ride as close to the right as practicable, not as far right as possible, as they state. There’s a big difference, which any police officer should understand.

And which is scary as hell when they don’t.

Riding as far to the right as possible puts riders in the gutter and door zones, and gives police an excuse to ticket anyone with the audacity to take the lane. Riding as far right as practicable keeps cyclists out of the way of swinging doors and broken glass, and allows them to legally ride in the center of non-sharable lanes.

Which is basically the difference between being bike friendly and observing the law, and making sure riders know they aren’t welcome in your city.

Meanwhile, the city considers adding an handful of bike racks, but banning locking bikes to virtually anything else.

In other words, once again appearing to support cycling while actively discouraging it.

………

Amazingly, the Texas driver who ran down tandem cyclists Greg and Alexanda Bruehler in 2009 — resulting in the single saddest photo I’ve ever seen — has been acquitted in their deaths.

Clearly, there is no justice for cyclists in the state of Texas.

The driver was doing 79 in a 65 mph zone when he failed to see the riders wearing hi-viz vests, and drifted off the roadway onto the shoulder where they were riding. The defense won the case by arguing that anyone could have could have made the same mistake.

The scary thing is, they’re right.

Even scarier is no one really seems to care. Not even a jury.

………

There’s been a horrifying number of road rage and traffic violence stories in the news the past few days.

For instance, a Massachusetts driver punches a cyclist in the face after the rider’s bike falls over and scratches his car. Local police don’t get it when a Mass cyclist is deliberately doored. A Pittsburgh cyclist is chased up a flight of stairs, stabbed and cut from ear to ear in a brutal road rage assault. A Texas mixed martial arts fighter has been charged with the shooting death of a cyclist after they apparently argued last year; even in Texas, shooting someone because you feel disrespected is a rather extreme response. A former Florida police officer threatens two cyclists with a knife when one flips him off after he threw something at the riders. A Hamilton Ontario cyclist is beaten by a pickup driver after being yelled at, then grazed by the truck’s mirror. A road-raging Toronto cab driver faces up to five years in prison for backing into a cyclist following a dispute, causing the rider to lose a leg. A UK car passenger is sentenced to three years for jumping out of the car and beating a cyclist to a bloody pulp.

Proving it’s not just drivers, police find their suspect in a methadone clinic after a drunken Colorado cyclist pulls a knife on a driver. A Massachusetts cyclist bends a car’s antenna after an argument with a driver. A New York mob trashes a car after a collision with a cyclist during the Fashion’s Night Out celebration. A 16-year old cyclist breaks into a couple’s home after an argument over an open car door. And closer to home, the OC Weekly’s food writer gets into a little bike on bike action; thanks to David Bain for the heads-up.

So let me offer a little advice.

Having been the victim of a road rage assault, I would much rather get off my bike and let the jackass pass than have an angry, potentially violent, driver behind me.

And no matter how much you think the other party deserves it, violence is never justified — it’s far more likely to jeopardize your own life and freedom than teach the other person a damn thing.

One more bit of hard-earned advice.

Never flip off the driver behind you.

Trust me. I’ve learned the hard way that cars are bigger than me, and they hurt.

………

Some idiot jackass stole the bike Jerico Culata was riding as he lay dying on last week’s Critical Mass ride; there’s not a pit in hell deep enough for someone like that. Formerly bike-unfriendly Malibu has come a long way, now launching an interactive website to explore improving safety on PCH — for bicyclists and everyone else. The city will also be conducting public hearings on the subject the next four Thursdays. Rapper The Game comes to the rescue of a cyclist who was unresponsive after a crash with his bike on top of him — the cyclist, not The Game — no word on how the rider got that way. LADOT introduces new street signs for Bike Friendly Streets. A Sierra Madre driver sees a girl riding her bike, but steps on the gas instead of the brakes; local police say “oops.”

Bike Lawyer Bob Mionske looks at California’s recently passed three-foot passing law and CEQA exemption for bike lanes. San Clemente gets over $1 million in grants for bike and pedestrian projects. NPR looks at charges that Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital sent jobs from Santa Ana-based GT Bicycles overseas; seems like there’s some truth on both sides. San Diego plans to encourage cycling in the “fun” communities. A San Diego cyclist suffers major leg injuries in a crash with a delivery truck. A North San Diego County writer asks who owns the roads, and correctly concludes we all do. An 18-year old salmon cyclist is seriously injured in a Temecula left cross collision. A bike rider in Perris suffers major injuries in a collision with a minivan on a street that somehow seems to simultaneously run both south and west. Rancho Mirage tells cyclists to walk their bikes on the sidewalk across a bridge — even though it has a bike lane. Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious is run off the bike path by an overly aggressive rider. A Modesto cyclist is killed after both he and the driver who hit him run a four-way stop; guess which one will probably get the blame? San Francisco cyclists will get their own lane on The Embarcadero during next month’s America’s Cup races.

People for Bikes looks at biking to school. A cyclist watches an idiot bike rider from his position behind the wheel; thanks to Jerry Oser for the heads-up. Barbie rides a bike. New foldable bike helmet fits odd shaped heads. Suffering the emotional scars of urban cycling. A Portland man moves forward with a statewide initiative requiring bike license plates and licenses for bike riders. An Albuquerque court imposes the maximum sentence on a drugged driver who killed the bike riding manager of the local REI. The 13-year old Milwaukee girl who laughed about it after killing a cyclist while street racing in a stolen car has been ordered into mental health treatment; well no shit. Ohio suffers three cycling fatalities in one week. An Atlantic City cyclist is killed when he’s caught in the crossfire in a gunfight. An Alabama driver won’t be cited after colliding with a cyclist who was riding on the sidewalks illegally. Long Beach’s bicycling expats, now Portland residents, visit our buddy Zeke in North Carolina. A Florida driver with drugs in her system receives the maximum sentence for killing a cyclist — a six-month suspension of her drivers license; no wonder the Sunshine State leads the nation in bike and pedestrian deaths.

A Toronto writer is taken down by streetcar tracks while trying to maneuver around a truck blocking the right lane. A London magazine editor apologizes after writing that “the only good cyclist is a dead cyclist,” noting that he was merely being ironic with his heartfelt wishes that you and I would just die and get it over with. London considers, probably not seriously, a multi-million-pound network of elevated bikeways. UK driving instructors want bicycle awareness to be part of the driving test. Former Formula 1 driver Alex Zanardi wins gold in the Paralympic handcycle time trial 11 years after losing his legs in a horrific crash. Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree cancels his attempt at a record setting 100 mph bike ride, saying his ride isn’t ready yet. An 11-year old French boy finds a brake lever imbedded in his thigh months after a bike crash; even my stomach turned a little writing that one. One of the better Vueltas in years is slowly coming to a conclusion, as Contador holds a seemingly comfortable lead after bouncing back from a drug scandal that stripped him of his 2010 Tour de France victory; maybe current and former dopers should form their own bike racing league so they can take whatever the hell they want and not have to worry about getting caught.

Finally, a UK cyclist apparently accomplishes the rather remarkable feat of rounding a corner on the sidewalk at 20 mph; even more remarkable is the arthritic pensioner who claims he managed to stop the speeding rider merely by putting his arms out.

Superman ain’t got nothing on him.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Update: LAPD looks for yet another coward who ran away after running down a cyclist

August 6, 2012 / / 2 comments

The L.A. Times reports that police are on the lookout for the driver who hit a cyclist, then fled the scene to avoid taking any responsibility for his or her actions.

The collision — not accident, as the Times insists on inaccurately calling it — occurred at 8:55 pm at Central Avenue and  32nd Street, south of Downtown L.A. The rider, who has not been publicly identified, was transported to County/USC Medical Center with severe head trauma.

No information on how the collision occurred.

According to the Times, police are looking for a red or orange 1992 or 93 Chevrolet pickup, last seen speeding south on Central Avenue.

Statistics compiled by the LAPD indicate that one-third of all traffic collisions in the city are hit-and-runs.

Why this continues to be acceptable to the leaders and people of this city, I will never understand.

Update: According to a press release from the LAPD, the rider, identified only as a 32-year old Huntington Park resident, was riding east on 32nd when he made a right turn onto Central Ave. As he was finishing his turn, he rode into the path of a truck traveling south on Central; it’s unclear whether the rider drifted onto the wrong side of the road, or if the truck was in the wrong position on the roadway.

The victim is in critical condition with severe head injuries.

Witnesses describe the truck as a 1992 – 1998 Silverado flatbed truck, red with white painted panels.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Central Traffic Detectives Felix Padilla or Josephine Mapson at (213) 972-1825 or Central Traffic Watch Commander at (213) 972-1853.  

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , ,

Update: Bike rider shot and killed in San Diego

July 30, 2012 / / One comment

As if the city’s notorious traffic and dangerous streets wasn’t bad enough, a San Diego cyclist has fallen victim to bullets.

San Diego’s 10News reports that an 18-year old man was shot and killed while riding his bike near the City Heights neighborhood. The incident occurred around 9:30 am Sunday on the 4200 block of Chamoune Avenue near Orange Avenue.

According to 10News, the rider, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was being pursued by up to three men when he was hit by gunfire and fell off his bike into the street. He then stumbled to the fire station across the street; unfortunately, the unit was out on a call, and he was dead by the time help could arrive.

The shooter was described only as a black man in dark shorts.

This is the second fatal shooting of a cyclist that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, compared to nine last year.

Which makes it about two too many.

Update: As if this wasn’t enough of a tragedy, the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office has identified the victim as Joseph Alonzo Hutchins — who was killed the morning after his 19th birthday.

What a waste.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , ,

A little this, a little that — a rash of road rage, a Cycle Chic kerfuffle and a scofflaw driver on video

July 26, 2012 / / 8 comments

Maybe it’s something in the water, as today’s news brings a rash of road rage and otherwise intentional assaults, mostly involving cyclists.

First up, a Leavenworth KS driver pulls a Dr. Thompson, slamming on his brakes before backing up and swerving his truck into a group of cyclists; thanks to David Huntsman for the heads-up.

A pregnant Michigan cyclist may have been intentionally targeted in a hit-and-run last month. A Florida driver is dead after attacking a cyclist with an ax handle in a road rage attack, then collapsing after taking a punch to the face. A UK driver is convicted of beating up a cyclist who clipped his mirror, even though the rider didn’t cause any damage.

Not surprisingly, when an off-duty cop gets killed riding his bike, they consider it homicide; when anyone else does, it’s just an accident.

An Oregon man arrested for repeatedly sabotaging a popular mountain bike trail. And a Tiburon man is arrested for trying to run over a pedestrian because he didn’t his plaid jacket.

No, really.

………

There’s been quite a conversation about the Cycle Chic movement going on online over the past few days, sparked by a critique Copenhagenize’s Mickael Colville-Andersen offered by the incomparable Elly Blue.

The Reno Rambler calls it fascism, while Modal Mom defends the movement. And the over 50 comments to Blue’s original article are well worth reading, including this one by Lizbon.

As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter what you ride, where you ride, how you ride, why you ride or what you where.

Wear whatever you want, and just ride.

Then again, there’s more than one way to express cycle chic.

………

I thought I had reported on this story last week, but can’t find it anywhere.

According to KTLA-5, an arrest has been made in the case of Alex Patrick Silva, the 25-year old Fontana cyclist who was killed in a Rancho Cucamonga hit-and-run earlier this month.

Fifty-seven-year old Fontana resident Mark Sanders reportedly turned himself in to sheriff’s deputies at the Rancho Cucamonga station while detectives were searching his home after serving a warrant. He was booked on a charge of hit-and-run resulting in death, and is now free on $100,000 bail.

My apologies for not reporting this earlier.

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A San Francisco photographer asks your help to finance a project on Kickstarter to capture images of ghost bikes throughout the East Coast and Midwest.

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The Bicycle Film Festival returns to Los Angeles this October, with a kick-off party at historic El Cid in Silver Lake on the 11th, followed by the debut of The Contender, the first BFF-produced film at Cinefamily on the 12th.

Other screenings will take place at the Downtown Independent theater from 11 am to 10 pm on Saturday the 13th, with an all-ages DTLA block party the next day from 10 am to 6 pm. Convergence rides are planned for the various events. Email volunteerla@bicyclefilmfestival.com for more information or to volunteer.

………

I had an interesting meeting this morning with Odysseus Bostick, who just announced his candidacy for L.A. City Council in District 11, currently held by Councilmember Bill Rosendahl.

It should be an interesting race; Bostick is a cyclist and a strong supporter of bicycling, while Rosendahl has been the L.A. cycling community’s best friend on the council.

………

Streetsblog’s Damien Newton offers an exceptionally in-depth two-part interview with L.A.’s bike and transportation-oriented mayor. A Pasadena Gran Fondo rider says that cop didn’t need to ticket him for running a stop sign — just to be clear, there is no requirement in the California Vehicle Code to put your foot down to come to a full stop; thanks to Meghan Lynch for the tip.  San Diego cyclists ride to call attention to the dangers on local streets, urging cyclists and divers to use the roads safely. A writer makes a wise call for greater safety in the cycling community.

Traffic fatalities are up over 13% for the first quarter of 2012. How to file a claim for bike damage following a collision. An Oregon rider asks if you have a mangina. The Alaska schmuck man who repeatedly punched a seven-year old girl to steal her bike has been convicted. A Boulder CO intersection claims a second cyclist in just three years. Red Kite Prayer reports on RAGBRAI. A Boston writer decries the 400 bikes soon to be added to the city’s bike share program. A DC study says the way to encourage employees to bike to work is to provide showers and bike parking.

A writer calls Australia’s mandatory helmet law a disaster. The tragic dooring of a New Zealand cyclist leads a coroner to ask if bike riders should be required to use bike lanes.

Finally, if you really want drivers to see you at night, skip the hi-viz clothing and get a glow-in-the-dark bike. And everyone knows only cyclists run stop signs or use the wrong side of the road, right?

Category: General, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , ,

Mostly final Dr. Thompson appeal denied, PVE to review crippling speed bumps, bike rage around the world

July 24, 2012 / / 9 comments

Somehow, we missed the apparent final resolution of the infamous Mandeville Canyon brake check case.

Ohio Bike Lawyer Steve Magos forwards word that the state Supreme Court refused to hear Dr. Christopher Thompson’s appeal of his conviction.

The appeal was denied November 2nd, which means the case is finally, completely and hopefully, irrevocably over, and his conviction stands.

Unless he appeals in Federal Court.

Of course, he’s already served over two-and-a-half years of his five-year sentence. Which means he could be back on the streets soon.

………

Palos Verdes Estates will hold a meeting to review the speed cushions on Via del Monte that nearly killed cyclist Richard Schlickman.

Seriously.

Shouldn’t that be all the discussion they need?

Or are they trying to take out a few more of us while they’re at it?

………

As if road raging drivers weren’t bad enough, now we have to worry about armed bike riders.

An Oceanside bike rage incident leads to a standoff with police after a cyclist fires a rifle round into the ground during an argument with another rider. Meanwhile, a Michigan bike rider — who, at 69, should have known better — pulls a knife in a dispute with another much younger cyclist.

In a more traditional approach to roadway violence, a bike raging Brit cyclist punches a BMW driver; not that I haven’t wanted to on occasion, but please.

Maybe it’s something in the air.

And the Kiwi mountain biker who was caught on video assaulting another rider gets a whopping $750 fine.

………

Erin Galligan ghost bike; photo courtesy of George Wolfberg

Bicycle Fixation offers a Flickr set of bicycling photos. LADOT takes credit for installing over 4,600 bike racks throughout the city, and offers an update on the BPIT meeting held earlier this month. Santa Monica plans to sign a contract with L.A. cycling’s favorite planning firm to make Safe Routes to Schools improvements around SaMo High. A memorial ride was held Monday for Erin Galligan, the Venice waitress killed in a still unsolved Santa Monica hit and run earlier this month. Culver City gets its first bike corral in front of my favorite coffee shop. The new bicycling postage stamps are available now. Now that’s a bike. Pasadena cyclists enjoy the city’s first Gran Fondo. New buffered bike lanes in Old Town San Diego. Cycling Unbound says once we reduce roadway deaths down to a dozen or so, then we can focus on those evil scofflaw cyclists. A Santa Rosa cyclist is injured trying to avoid an apparent dooring; a perfect example of why drivers should always give cyclists at least three feet passing distance. Sometimes it seems like cyclists get blamed for everything; now a driver claims one of us was the reason he drove his SUV into a Watsonville home. Seriously, if you’re too drunk to stay on your bike, don’t ride it.

If you think bike helmets look bad, take a look at how they looked in 1948. In celebrity bike news, Jessica Alba is helping to raise a new generation of cyclists, while Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell performs an emergency seat adjustment for biking girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood. Just two days after the Batman massacre, a Denver cyclist is killed in a more traditional crime. Even the ski resort town of Aspen CO may get bike lanes. In a truly bizarre letter, an Aspen writer says that, despite claiming to have founded the Red Zinger Bicycle Classic — no doubt to the surprise of those who usually get credit for it — he is now the sworn nemesis of reckless riders. Mountain bikers could get more access to national parks. RAGBRI riders suffer from extreme heat. An elite Massachusetts cyclist is seriously injured after colliding with a truck during a Maine time trial. New York cyclists can now attend bike classes in lieu of traffic fines; maybe some day we’ll have something like this here. Bike share will come to Forth Worth by next spring. Texas-based Witch on a Bicycle offers some intriguing ideas on how to reform drivers license laws. The family of a missing Louisiana cyclist hope she’s still alive, even though a convicted sex offender has been indicted for her death and that of another woman. A Florida cyclist is singled out for wearing purple, and ticketed for — legally — leaving a bike lane; apparently, Barney Fife is alive and well and working in Florida.

A Montreal cyclist is killed in a right hook when the bike path he was on crossed a roadway; police note he had the right-of-way. CLR Effect recaps the just completed le Tour. Bradley Wiggins, Tour de France champ and fashion icon — or should we say Sir Bradley? — is the abandoned son of a drunken former pro rider. Looks like Wiggins won more than just a trophy Sunday, but will his victory lead to safer streets for UK cyclists? Seventeen-year pro George Hincapie rides his last tour. How Brit cyclists conquered the world; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up. The rich get richer as Denmark cyclists get a bicycle superhighway.

Finally, looks like I got mine just in time as bike cams hit the big time, with the New York Times suggesting they’re the new black boxes for cyclists, and a new rearview cam saves the last five minutes of video in case you get hit; thanks again to George Wolfberg for the black box link, who notes that such devices can cut both ways.

And a New Zealand cyclist says a helmet cam actually makes drivers slow down.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Dr. Christopher Thompson, Legal Cases, Streets and Infrastructure, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , ,

Things you see when you’re riding — road raging cyclist and driver fist fight on Santa Monica Street

July 20, 2012 / / 12 comments

.

Don’t ask me why I went that way.

My plan was to bypass the meshugenah frenzy of Main Street traffic and shopping Main in Santa Monica on Wednesday.

But at the last moment, I decided to cut up Ocean Park Blvd from the beach, and head up Main to Abbot Kinney before making my way down the coastal bike path.

Just as I rounded the corner at Main, though, I saw a guy charge up to a little red delivery truck on the opposite side of the street, jerk the door open and pull the driver out before he began punching him.

Or more precisely, punching at him, as neither party seemed to be able to land a decent punch.

Ali vs Frazier, this was not.

As I went back and dialed 911, the pugilists seemed to calm down; the first guy went around the other side of the truck, emerging with a bike.

He looked like he was trying to ride off when the driver grabbed the rack on the back of his bike; next thing I knew they were exchanging words again, followed quickly by more punches.

Eventually, sanity seemed to prevail, and the cyclist rode off up Ocean Park, followed by the SUV. And both were gone long before the police arrived.

Then again, so was I, as I got tired of waiting and continued on my ride after the 911 operator assured me they had my phone number if they needed me.

Why the fight, I have no idea.

Judging from the position of the bike behind the truck, it could have been a near miss right hook, or the driver may have even bumped the bike just before I got there.

But that’s pure speculation. It could just as easily been the result of an ongoing dispute that started blocks earlier.

And either party could have been to blame.

However, I do know that the cyclist was legally in the wrong the moment he pulled the driver from the truck. On the other hand, the driver had the chance to walk away and chose not to, leading to round two.

In other words, they could both have faced charges if the police had arrived sooner.

So don’t be an idiot.

No matter how mad you get, or how justified you feel, just get the license number and ride away.

It beats the hell out of going to court on criminal charges.

Or maybe getting your ass kicked.

Or worse.

Thanks to Chris and the gang at the Westwood Helen’s for hooking me up with the helmet cam — and fixing up my bike so I could ride a little easier with it. And thanks to Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious for volunteering to pitch in to process the video when my Mac failed me.

Category: Car vs Bike, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , ,

Breaking news — Road racing killer of pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado pleads guilty

July 9, 2012 / / 5 comments

Big breaking news from San Bernardino.

I’ve just been forwarded an email indicating that Patrick Michael Roraff has entered a guilty plea in the death of rising pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado.

According to the email from Velo Club LaGrange Race Program Director/Elite Men’s Team Manager Stu Press, Roraff pleaded guilty to charges today. He’d been charged with a single count of felony gross vehicular manslaughter with a maximum sentence of six years in state prison.

Alvarado was on a solo training ride on Greenspot Road in Highland, northeast of San Bernardino on April 8, 2010 when a car driven by Roraff went out of control while street racing and hit Alvardo, who died at the scene. Roraff later apologized for his actions.

The driver of the other car, Brett Michael Morin, was also charged in the same case; the San Bernardino County Court website indicates he’s scheduled for a disposition/reset hearing on August 15.

Roraff will be sentenced at 8:30 am on August 6th, in Department S26 of the San Bernardino County Court.

According to Press’ email, cyclists are encouraged to attend and make a brief (2 – 5 minute) victim impact statement stating how Alvarado’s death has impacted you. That can be anything from whether you knew him and suffered a direct loss, or if it has affected you in other ways, such as being afraid to ride for fear of similar incidents.

While his plea change suggests that a plea deal may be in place, a big turn out could still influence the sentence the judge imposes.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , ,

Cyclist killed in early morning North Hills hit-and-run; BOLO for dark blue SUV with front end damage

June 8, 2012 / / 11 comments

This is not the news any of us wanted to wake up to.

Numerous sources are reporting that a cyclist was killed early Friday in a North Hills hit-and-run, when a rider was hit from behind  on Nordhoff Street near Gaviota Avenue.

According to a release from the LAPD, the rider was riding eastbound near the curb when his bike was hit, throwing him onto the street and into a raised planter box in the Auto Zone parking lot; a witness report says he bounced off the SUV’s windshield.

According to both KABC-7 and KCBV-2, the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was doing everything right when he was hit.

“This bicyclist did all the right things. Unfortunately, this accident occurred. I mean, he had a helmet on, the reflective vest, the bike headlights. He was an avid bicyclist. He had all the right things on,” said Capt. Ivan Minsal with the Los Angeles Police Department.

The avid bicyclist remark appears to stem from the fact that the victim was wearing bike shorts and appeared to be riding for exercise or recreation, despite the late hour.

Descriptions of the victim vary. The L.A. Times describes him only as a 53-year old male, while KABC-7 says he was a Hispanic man in his 50s or 60s; the LAPD release describes him as a whit male in his late 60s or early 70s.

Police are looking for a dark colored, possibly dark blue, Chevy Blazer or similar mid-size SUV with front end damage, most likely with a broken windshield.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department, Valley Traffic Detectives, Detective II James Deaton #24252 at 818 644-8035 or Detective III William Bustos #25029 at 818 644-8021 during normal business hours.

Police also note that you don’t have to reveal your identity.

After-hours calls may be directed to a 24-hours, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “Crimes” with a cell phone or log onto WWW.lapdonline.org and click on Web Tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.

At least in this area, Nordhoff is essentially a six lane, high-speed throughway that encourages motorists to drive far above the speed limit, particularly in the late night hours when light traffic essentially allows drivers to go as fast as they want.

The new L.A. bike plan calls for bike lanes on Nordhoff, though I don’t find it on the five-year implementation plan. Hopefully, it will include a road diet to slow traffic speeds; otherwise, a simple line of paint wouldn’t do a damn thing to stop a driver who couldn’t seem to see a cyclist lit up like a Christmas tree.

And keep an eye out for an SUV that matches the description. Anyone who could do something like this and then heartlessly run away like the coward he or she is belongs behind bars.

This is the 23rd cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 7th in Los Angeles County; it’s the first bicycling death in the City of Los Angeles in 2012. This is also the fourth bike-related fatal hit-and-run in the seven county SoCal region this year.

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

Thanks to LAPD Deputy Chief Jorge Villegas for the heads-up.

Update: The LAPD has identified the victim as 76-year old Northridge resident Paul Albert Helfen; a $50,000 reward is being offered for the arrest and conviction of his killer.

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

Update: Two cyclists shot in Koreatown, one killed

May 26, 2012 / / 3 comments

Multiple sources report that two Hispanic men were shot while riding their bikes in Koreatown Saturday afternoon.

According to the L.A. Times, incident began near the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and San Marino Street around 1:20 pm, when a bike rider was struck by a white SUV. One of the men inside the SUV then got out and shot the victim as he lay on the ground, killing him.

Witnesses report that the SUV appeared to be chasing at least one one of the riders when some sort of altercation occurred leading up to the collision and shooting.

Following the first shooting, the men in the SUV began pursuing the second rider; it’s unclear whether he was riding with the first victim or just happened to be riding alone in the same area. He was shot by the same man in the 800 block of south Vermont Avenue; fortunately, his wounds are not life threatening.

The suspects are described only as three Hispanic men in a white SUV-like vehicle. They were last seen driving south on Vermont Avenue towards Olympic Boulevard.

Police continue to investigate the motive for the shooting.

While gang violence seems like the obvious explanation, as the Times points out, it could also be the result of road rage or a personal vendetta.

Thanks to Sam Ebnet for the heads-up.

Update: KABC-7 identifies the victim as a 19-year old Los Angeles resident; while they give a name on the video report, but I’m unable to clearly make it out after several listenings. Police report two men exited the vehicle; witnesses report hearing approximately 15 gunshots.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Mark Morgan at 213/38-9470 or 877/527-3247.

Update 2: LAist identifies the victim as Shaoyan Almazan. The Times reports Almazan appears to have been targeted by his killers.

Update 3: According to the L.A. Times, the second victim was riding with Almazan, and was struck in the hand as he tried to ride away. He stopped to in the 800 block of Vermont to call 911, which is why he was found a few blocks away. The shooter is described as medium height and weight, wearing a hooded sweat shirt. In other words, it could be just about anyone.

Still no word on why the riders were targeted.

Update 4: According to the LAPD, the shooting was definitely gang related. That doesn’t make it any better, but it means local cyclists don’t have to worry about a crazed road raging driver roaming the streets.

Just a cold-blooded killer.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , ,
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