Yet another Southern California bike rider has been killed by a cowardly drunken driver who lacked the basic human decency to stick around after the crash.
Allegedly.
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports a woman was discovered lying in the roadway on Huntington Drive near Foothill Boulevard in Irwindale early Saturday morning.
Police found the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, on the 2900 block of Huntington Drive shortly after 1:21 am, surrounded by parts from her shattered bicycle.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
There’s no word on how the crash happened, or whether she had lights or reflectors on her bike in the late night darkness.
Twenty-one-year-old La Puente resident Adrian Ortega was arrested by West Covina cops shortly afterwards in the area of Francisquito and Sunset Avenues, after officers spotted evidence connecting him to the crime.
At last report, he was still being held on $100,000 bond, on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, drunk driving and hit-and-run.
A street view shows a four lane roadway with no bike lanes or shoulder, with the San Gabriel River Trail visible in the background.
At that hour, it’s unlikely there would have been anything to keep drivers from exceeding the posted speed limit.
This is at least the 15th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
Shamefully, over half of those deaths have been hit-and-runs — as have all three bicycling deaths in LA County.
Update: The victim has been identified as 22-year old Antonia Ramirez; no city of residence was given.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Antonia Ramirez and all her loved ones.
