Tag Archive for bicycling fatality

52-year old man dies 19 days after February 10 ebike crash in Oceanside; 17th SoCal bike death already this year

March 3, 2026 / / No comments

Sigh.

A few weeks ago, we mentioned in passing that Oceanside police found a 52-year old man lying in the roadway next to an ebike after midnight, suffering from severe upper body injuries.

Today, we got the sad news that he didn’t make it.

According to The Coast News (scroll down), the victim, identified as Oceanside resident Scott Weiler, died 19 days after he was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.

Apparently, Weiler somehow lost control of his ebike and crashed into a light pole near Coast Highway and Seagaze Drive sometime before 12:11 am on Wednesday, February 11th.

Although The Coast News oddly places the crash shortly after noon the day before.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on what kind of ebike Weiler was riding, so we don’t know if it was a ped-assist bike or an e-moto. But either way, his death is no less tragic.

This the 17th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in San Diego County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Scott Weiler and his loved ones.

 

Facebook post from the Oceanside Police Department

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Man riding ebike against traffic killed in head-on Oxnard crash, hit-and-run; the first driver stayed, while second fled

February 23, 2026 / / 3 comments

This year just keeps getting worse.

As of this weekend, 15 people had already lost their lives riding a bicycle in Southern California this year.

Now you can add yet another victim to that grim list. This time in Oxnard, where a 40-year old man was killed riding an ebike.

And this time only one of the two drivers involved bothered to stick around afterwards.

According to a press release from the Oxnard Police Department, the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was apparently riding north on the southbound side of Saviers Road near Guava Street around 6:23 pm Sunday when he was struck head-on by a 67-year old pickup driver traveling in the right lane.

That driver stopped after the crash. Police do not believe he was speeding or under the influence

The victim was knocked off his bike by the impact, landing in the next lane, where he was run over by a driver in an SUV. That person continued without stopping, dragging the ebike under their car.

The second driver stopped about a block away to dislodged the ebike from underneath the SUV, then got back in and continued driving south on Saviers. There’s no description at this time of that driver or the suspect SUV.

The victim died at the scene.

It’s not clear from the limited description whether he was riding in the bike lane when he was struck by the first driver, or if he was in the traffic lane next to it.

It’s also not clear whether he was actually riding a ped-assist or throttle-controlled bicycle, or if he was riding e-motorbike or a non-street legal electric dirt bike.

That’s an ongoing problem when anything with two wheels and an electric motor is called an ebike, regardless of how fast or powerful it is.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Oxnard Police Officer Daniel Diaz Sanchez at 805/385-7750, or email daniel.diaz-sanchez@oxnardpd.org, especially after hours. Or you can call the Oxnard Police Department at 805/385-7600.

This the 16th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in Ventura County; both were in Oxnard.

Five of those deaths have now involved hit-and-run drivers.

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

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

Update: Man riding bicycle killed in Hesperia collision, possibly involving two drivers; 15th SoCal bike death already this year

February 21, 2026 / / No comments

At least this time the driver stuck around.

Both of them, apparently.

According to the Victor Valley Daily Press, a man riding a bicycle was killed when he was struck by a driver in Hesperia early Friday.

The paper places the collision at Highway 395 and Joshua Street, a little before 5:30 am. The victim, described only as an adult male, died at the scene.

The Victor Valley News Group reports there were two vehicles at the scene, both with visible front end damage, a 2014 Toyota Camry and a 2021 Subaru Forester.

It’s possible he may have been knocked off his bike by one driver, and struck again by the second.

A photo from the scene shows a mangled blue bicycle resting on the side of the road, with what appears to be a backpack in the middle of the roadway. The bike is facing against traffic, but that could be a result of the impact, or it could have been moved following the crash.

The intersection is controlled by a red light. Lining up a street view with a directional sign in the background of one photo, it appears the crash occurred on northbound 395 just past Joshua. Both drivers look to have been traveling in the same direction.

A statement provided by the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department explained the collision remained under investigation, and “The involved parties remained on scene and are cooperating with investigators.”

With one notable exception.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Hesperia Police Department at  760/947-1500, or call the We-Tip hotline anonymously at 800/782-7463.

This the 15th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in San Bernardino County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 48-year old Victorville resident John Hewitt.

The Victor Valley News Group confirms that Hewitt was stuck by two separate drivers.

According to a statement from investigators,

“Preliminary findings indicated that while Hewitt was riding his bicycle he was struck by a driver of a Subaru,” the statement said. “The impact knocked the cyclist off his bicycle and onto the ground. While the man was on the ground, he was subsequently struck by a driver of a Toyota Camry.”

Both drivers remained at the scene.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

48-year old bike rider killed by red light-running driver Thursday in Cathedral City, 14th SoCal bike death in 33 days

February 14, 2026 / / 2 comments

This damn year just isn’t getting any better.

For the 14th time in just the last 33 days, someone has been killed riding a bicycle on the mean streets of Southern California.

This time in Cathedral City.

Multiple sources are reporting that the victim was crossing Ortega Road at Date Palm Drive when they were struck by a driver around 10:55 pm Thursday.

The victim was riding west on Ortega and attempted to cross Date Palm Drive in the crosswalk, and was hit by a driver heading south on Date Palm. Yet somehow, police say both the driver and the victim ran the red light.

The victim, identified only as a 48-year old Cathedral City resident, died at the scene, while the driver was taken to a hospital with minor facial injuries.

No explanation was given for why the victim’s age and city of residence was given, but their sex was somehow a secret.

Police also didn’t explain how the driver and the bike rider both could have entered the intersection against the light, despite traveling in different directions.

The only explanation is that the victim entered the crosswalk on the leading pedestrian interval, which is legal, or began crossing during the left turn signal on Date Palm Drive, which isn’t. There does appear to left turn arrow on Date Palm

There’s no word on whether the driver was cited or arrested, despite running the light.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Cathedral City Police at 760/770-0300.

This the 14th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and it appears to be the third in Riverside County.

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

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

27-year old bike rider killed early Friday in Colton hit-and-run; 13th SoCal bike death in last 30 days

February 9, 2026 / / No comments

It’s happened yet again.

For the 13th time in 30 days, someone riding a bicycle has been killed in Southern California. And once again, the victim was murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

This time in Colton.

According to KTLA-5, which has the most detailed report, the victim was struck while riding at Riverside Ave and Key Street around 4 am Friday.

The victim, identified as 27-year old Colton resident Sinahi Moises Garcia, was pronounced dead at the scene. It’s not clear if Garcia was a man or a woman, though Sinahi is usually a feminine name.

There’s no word on how the crash occurred, or whether Garcia had lights on their bike in the predawn hour. Then again, we have no way of knowing if the driver was using their lights, either.

There’s also no information on where Garcia and the driver were positioned on the three-way intersection, which is controlled only by a stop sign on Key. There appears to be a bike lane on Riverside, which has the kind of wide, straight traffic lanes that encourage speeding, particularly at that hour.

Police do not appear to have a description of the suspect or their vehicle, or which way they fled.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Colton Police Officer A. Jacobson at 909/370-5000, or ajacobson@coltonca.gov. Anonymous tips can be submitted to We-Tip at 1-800/782-7463, or via wetip.com.

This the 13th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and it appears to be the first in San Bernardino County,

Four of the SoCal deaths involved hit-and-run drivers..

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Sinahi Moises Garcia and their loved ones.

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

Man dies mountain biking near La Tuna Foot Trail in remote section of Shadow Hills; 12th SoCal bike death in 30 days

February 8, 2026 / / No comments

Make that 12.

Just hours after learning about the 11th bicycling death in Southern California in just the last 30 days, we learned that yet another person has lost his life riding a bicycle.

This time in Los Angeles County. Although it’s not exactly clear how or why.

Multiple sources are reporting that a man was found next to his mountain bike in severe medical distress, in a remote section of Shadow Hills above Burbank Sunday morning.

Aeromedics were dispatched at 10:44 am, and lowered by helicopter after locating the man near the La Tuna Foot Trail, and immediately began lifesaving efforts. Additional personnel from the Los Angeles and Burbank Fire Departments hiked in and travelled by Jeep to reach the scene.

However, despite their efforts, the victim was declared dead at 11:38.

There’s no word at this time whether victim’s medical condition was caused by a fall or natural causes, or due to some other factor. It’s also possible his death could have been due to natural causes brought on by mountain biking.

He was publicly identified only as a man around 50.

The scene was turned over to law enforcement for further investigation.

This the 12th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and remarkably, already the seventh in Los Angeles County.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: Woman riding bicycle killed by speeding hit-and-run driver in Long Beach; 11th SoCal bike rider killed in last 4 weeks

February 8, 2026 / / No comments

This is getting really old.

For the 11th time in the past 30 days — okay, 28 — someone has been killed riding a bicycle on the mean streets of Southern California.

And once again, the victim was murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

According to the Long Beach Police Department, a woman riding a bicycle was mowed down by a motorist who ran a stop sign in broad daylight, then just kept running.

The crash occurred at 4:48 pm Saturday — about 45 minutes before sunset — at Redondo Avenue and East 2nd Street.

Police report the victim was riding south on Redondo when the driver blew through the stop sign on westbound 2nd at a high rate of speed, striking her, then continuing west on 2nd without stopping.

When police arrived, they found the woman, who has not been publicly identified, being tended to by a bystander who had stopped to help. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died.

Authorities are looking for the driver of a 2025 gray Hyundai Sonata; there’s no description of the driver at this time.

Long Beach Watchdog reports she was the fifth person killed as a result of traffic violence in the city already this year, two of the dead were on bikes.

According to the Long Beach Post,

Fatal traffic collisions have been a growing problem in Long Beach despite the city promising it would try to eliminate them completely by 2026. Last year, there were 53 deadly crashes in the city. Most people killed were outside a car: walking, biking or riding an e-scooter.

Long Beach’s strategy is to force drivers to slow down, but the city has faced criticism for moving too slowly on some tactics, such as installing automated speed cameras.

Anyone with information is urged to call LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Edwin Paredes at 562/570-7110, or anonymously through LA Crime Stoppers at 1-800/222-TIPS (8477).

This the 11th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the sixth in Los Angeles County; three of those SoCal deaths were caused by hit-and-run drivers.

Update: The victim has been identified as 54-year old Long Beach resident Lori Ann Carreon, a beloved local occupational therapist who worked with school-age children.

She was just one block from her home when she was killed. 

Forty-year old Christopher Bryant of Los Angeles turned himself in on Wednesday, admitting that he was the driver who fled after killing Carreon.

He was booked on $50,000 bond on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, hit-and-run involving death and reckless driving.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Lori Ann Carreon and her loved ones. 

Thanks to Chris and Danny for the heads-up. 

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

40-year old man killed by truck driver while crossing Hemet street on his bicycle Sunday evening

February 3, 2026 / / 3 comments

This week just keeps getting worse.

As if the death of a ebike-riding woman and her unborn baby in Playa del Rey wasn’t bad enough, now we’re learning that a man was killed by a delivery truck driver while riding his bike in Hemet on Sunday.

According to Valley News, the victim was hit with the truck while attempting to cross Florida Ave and Hamilton Ave at 6:49 pm.

He was reportedly attempting to cross Florida on Hamilton when he allegedly rode out in front of the westbound truck.

A Hemet cop on patrol witnessed the immediate aftermath of the crash, and attempted to perform life-saving measures on the victim, who was identified later as 40-year old Hemet resident Ricardo Olvera Hernandez.

He died at the scene.

The driver remained after the crash and cooperated with investigators, who do not believe he was under the influence.

A street view shows the intersection is controlled only by a two-way stop sign on Hamilton, with no bike infrastructure on either street.

The story doesn’t say which direction Hernandez was riding, but it’s possible he just didn’t make it across the five lane street before the truck caught up with him.

Anyone with information is urged to call Hemet Police Corporal Coley at 951/765-2400, file #2026-00837.

This the tenth bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second in Riverside County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Ricardo Olvera Hernandez and his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: 36-year old woman and unborn baby killed riding ebike on Pershing Drive in Playa del Rey, where bike lanes removed in 2017

February 2, 2026 / / 10 comments

Apparently, last month isn’t done with us yet. And it ends with perhaps the worst news of all.

After a month that had already seen seven people lose their lives riding a bicycle in Southern California, you can add two more to the tragic toll.

And one wasn’t even born yet.

According to a crowdfunding campaign, 36-year old Regan Cole-Graham died after being struck by a driver while riding a bicycle with her husband and two kids this past Saturday.

She was seven months pregnant.

Her unborn daughter survived another day before dying in the NICU at UCLA Children’s Hospital on Sunday.

What appears to be an AI generated site offers information that appears to come from the police report, placing the crash around 6 pm on Pershing Drive in Playa del Rey. A mobile app places it around the corner at 451 E. Manchester Ave at 6:02 pm.

Meanwhile a witness on Reddit says the crash occurred directly in front of the Hacienda Playa restaurant on Pershing.

According to the AI site above, Cole-Graham was pronounced dead on arrival after being taken to a hospital.

There’s no details on how the crash occurred, though the same site says she was riding an ebike. The driver remained at the scene.

Sadly, that’s exactly where bike lanes were installed in 2017 after a years-long community process, only to be removed following complaints from drivers used to zooming along the street.

It’s impossible to know whether this tragedy could have been prevented if the bike lanes were still there. But their removal will almost certainly mean Los Angeles will be liable for her death.

The GoFundMe describes Cole-Graham as “…a loving & devoted wife, a fierce & joyful mother, a hilarious & loyal sister, and a beautiful, fiery daughter.”

As of this writing, the site has raised more than $134,000 to pay for funeral expenses and help her husband and kids with their future, while the goal has been raised to $210,000.

These are the eighth and ninth bicycling fatalities that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, the fourth and fifth in Los Angeles County, and the second and third reported in the City of Los Angeles.

Update: At least now we know what happened.

According to Fox-11, Regan Cole-Graham and her husband were both riding ebikes, with their two sons strapped into the child seats on their bikes. And yes, they were all wearing helmets.

Not that it would have helped under the circumstances.

An 87-year old driver ran down Cole-Graham from behind, knocking her into the street, where he ran over her with his sedan. Her three-year old son remained strapped into his seat as the car pushed her bike down the street, suffering minor injuries.

The driver remained at the scene; police do not think he was under the influence.

According to CBS News,

Yuda Zweda witnessed the incident and says that she briefly spoke with the man afterwards.

“The only thing he really said, ‘Please pray that she survives,'” Zweda said.

People who live in the area say that the intersection is dimly lit and dangerous for pedestrians.

“They put in some speed bumps down there and flashing lights, but I still just don’t think people seem to notice,” said one resident.

Ashley Saglie, described as a friend of the victim, expounded on that.

“I think a lot needs to change. I think there needs to be better lighting, I think there needs to be an expanded bike path,” Saglie said.

Never mind that there was a briefly bike lane on Pershing Drive, right where the crash happened, less than nine years earlier.

According to the California Post, the new West Coast edition of Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, Cole-Graham was an executive with Google’s LA office.

Cole-Graham had worked for Google in Los Angeles since 2019, where she served as Consumer Marketing Lead and later Brand Partnerships Lead and orchestrated a multi-million dollar partnership with Live Nation among other deals, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Before that, she worked as a Senior Product Marketing Manager for AT&T and marketing manager at DirecTV, where her father also worked as an executive and helped her get her first job after she graduated from San Diego State University, her family’s lawyer said.

According to the Post, her husband described her as an “amazing wife” and “the world’s best mother.”

Brian Breiter, the attorney for the family, commented on the tragedy, as well as questioning why the man who hit her was still driving.

This is the hardest time anyone could imagine, and I just want them to be together. Imagine a three year old little boy and an 18 month old child witnessing that?” Breiter continued.

“And then, of course, their unborn sister, who survived in the NICU but unfortunately didn’t make it.”

Breiter said he’s reviewed horrific footage showing the crash, which remains under investigation by authorities.

He noted the driver’s age at that “at some point it times to take the keys away” from some people.

Which is exactly why I keep bringing it up.

Meanwhile, the crowdfunding page for her husband and sons has raised nearly $200,000 of the $210,000 goal.

Update 2: Cole-Graham’s husband has been identified as Matthew Graham, a writer for Sports Illustrated, who was also one of the founders of USA Today’s For The Win. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Regan Cole-Graham, her unborn baby, and all their family and loves ones. 

Thanks to Joe, Richard, Oren and Madeline for their help in piecing this together. 

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

Bike rider in his 40s killed by hit-and-run driver in Boyle Heights Thursday morning; 7th SoCal bike death this month

January 29, 2026 / / No comments

Once again, someone riding a bicycle has been murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

And as usual, we know almost nothing about the crash.

Sources are reporting that the victim was struck while crossing the street at 7th Street and Boyle Ave in Boyle Heights around 5:20 this morning.

The victim, publicly identified only as a man in his 40s, died at the scene, after the driver left him to die alone in the street.

There’s no other information on how the crash occurred, including which street the victim was crossing. Given the circumstances, unless police find a witness or security cam video, that may be all we ever know.

There’s also no information about the driver or suspect vehicle at this time.

A street view shows the intersection is controlled by a traffic signal with crosswalks in each direction, though there doesn’t appear to be any bike infrastructure on either street.

There’s a posted 25 mph speed limit on 7th, while Google AI reports a 35 mph speed limit on Boyle. Although at that hour, it’s likely the driver was exceeding whatever the posted limit is.

Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPD’s Central Traffic Division.

This is the seventh bicycling fatality that I’m aware in of Southern California already this year, and the third in Los Angeles County; it’s also the first reported in the City of Los Angeles.

Hit-and-run drivers have been responsible for two of those SoCal deaths this year. Nineteen of the of the 55 reported bicycling deaths last year involved hit-and-run drivers.

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

Thanks to Danny for the heads-up. 

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