Tag Archive for bicycling fatality

Update: 60-year old Irvine man killed in Santa Ana hit-and-run Thursday; 3rd fatal bicycling crash in Santa Ana in just 6 weeks

June 20, 2026 / / 4 comments

A 60-year old Irvine man has become the latest victim of a hit-and-run driver in Southern California.

This time in Santa Ana Thursday evening.

Multiple sources are reporting that the victim, identified as Francois Primeau, was riding his bicycle through the intersection of Standard and Warner avenues around 6:15 pm yesterday, when he was struck by a driver headed west on Warner.

The driver sped away without stopping, leaving Primeau with significant injuries. He died at the scene.

There’s no description of the driver or suspect vehicle at this time.

According to New Santa Ana,

Santa Ana Context: Data reveals over 100 annual bicycle injuries or fatalities within city limits, placing Santa Ana 6th worst out of 15 comparable California cities for cyclist safety. Hit-and-run incidents are remarkably prevalent, with the city averaging 174 injury-causing hit-and-runs annually.

Anyone with information is urged to call Santa Ana Police Detective K. Briley at 714/245-8215 or the Traffic Division of the Santa Ana Police Department at 714/245-8200.

This is the 35th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, the fifth we know about in Orange County this year, and the third in Santa Ana in less than six weeks.

It was also the 10th fatal hit-and-run involving a bike rider in Southern California this year.

Update: KTLA-5 reports that 38-year old Edjan Rocha turned himself in to Santa Ana police over the weekend, after investigators had discovered and impounded the vehicle he was allegedly driving. 

At last report, the Santa Ana resident was being held on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run. 

According to Road.cc, Primeau was a leading oceanographer whose work helped scientists better predict the effects of climate change.  

A statement from Kieron Burke, the Interim Dean of School of Physical Sciences at UC Irvine reads, in part, 

Francois joined the UC Irvine Department of Earth System Science in 2001 and quickly became an indispensable member of our community. He served as Chair of the department from 2021 to 2024. During his tenure, he helped the school navigate the aftermath of COVID-19 and worked to minimize disruptions for students and faculty members.

He was an internationally recognized leader in physical oceanography and ocean biogeochemistry, whose work helped deepen our understanding of global ocean circulation and global carbon and nutrient cycles. His research yielded foundational insights into the ocean’s role in regulating climate, including landmark studies on ocean ventilation, the global nitrogen budget, and the strength of the biological carbon pump. His work has equipped scientists with the tools to make more accurate climate predictions—a legacy that will benefit generations to come.

Francois was a dedicated leader, researcher, mentor, colleague, and friend. He will be remembered for his excitement in sharing mathematical insights and his enthusiasm for Bayesian statistics. His smile was always warm, and his door was always open. We were all fortunate to know him and to count him among our community. We have lost one of our best.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Francois Primeau and all his loved ones.

 

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

Update: Two dead, one injured when alleged drunk driver plowed into three bicyclists on PCH north of Ventura; driver held for DUI and murder

June 13, 2026 / / No comments

Two people are dead, and another injured, just because some guy felt the need to get behind the wheel after drinking.

Allegedly.

According to reports from KTLA-5 and Ventura’s News Channel 12-3-11, three people were riding their bicycles north in the bike lane on PCH in Ventura County when a pickup driver plowed into them from behind at 50 to 55 mph.

A Facebook commenter said the posted speed limit in the area is 45 mph. According to AAA, the risk of death for a pedestrian at 42 mph is 50%, jumping to 75% at 50 mph, and 90% at 58 mph.

One of the victims died at the scene, while another died after being taken to Ventura County Medical Center; the third victim was transported to the hospital with minor to moderate injuries.

The CHP places the crash around 7:08 pm Thursday, on PCH near Solimar Beach Road, just outside the City of Ventura.

A paywalled story from the Ventura County Star says a 33-year old woman from Bend, Oregon died at the scene, while a 39-year old Ventura man died at the hospital. The injured victim was identified only as a woman.

It’s not clear if they were riding together, or just had the misfortune of all being in the driver’s way. Several witnesses stopped to assist the victims before paramedics arrived.

It’s not known why the driver, identified only as a 24-year old Oxnard man, veered his pickup into the bike lane. He continued north until crashing into a guardrail, coming to rest on the right shoulder.

CHP investigators arrested the driver at the scene on suspicion of felony DUI causing injury, murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He’s being held at the Ventura County jail in lieu of $1 million bail, and scheduled for a June 15th hearing in Ventura County Superior Court.

The murder charge suggests this may not be his first DUI offense.

Anyone with information is urged to call the CHP’s Ventura Area Office at 805/662-2640, and reference CAD Log 260611VT0384.

These are the 33rd and 34th bicycling fatalities that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the sixth and seventh we know about in Ventura County already this year.

Update: Ventura County’s Rolling Cerros Run Club identified the victims on Instagram as Kellie Standish and Colby Tucker. 

Other Instagram accounts remember two, while another video, which I can’t embed, shows the many signatures on their ghost bike, as well as their friends coming together; it sounds like their deaths are a real loss to the community. 

However, they still have not been officially identified by police, the medical examiner’s office or the media five days later. And there has been no public identification of the driver. 

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Update 2: A preliminary obituary for Colby Tucker has been posted online. A memorial for the 39-year old will be held in the Boston area on Tuesday, with a live link to posted online later; a celebration of life will be held in Ventura in the coming months. 

According to the obituary, 

Donations in celebration of Colby’s life may be made to organizations working to conserve places he loved: The Green Mountain Club, protecting the Long Trail in Vermont (donation page here), and The Nature Conservancy, protecting Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands off the coast of Ventura (memorial donation page here).  Livestream link to follow.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Kellie Standish and Colby Tucker, and all their loved ones.  

Thanks to David for the heads-up. 

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

53-year old man killed in Oxnard hit-and-run Saturday afternoon; third bicycling death in Oxnard this year, second by hit-and-run

May 31, 2026 / / No comments

It’s been a bad year for bike riders in Ventura County.

And it’s just getting started.

According to KEYT-TV, a man was discovered lying on the side of the road on Fifth Street near Harbor Blvd in Oxnard shortly after 4 pm Saturday, suffering from severe injuries.

A paywalled story from the Ventura County Star reports his badly damaged bicycle was discovered nearby.

The victim, identified only as a 53-year old man, died at the scene.

Police determined that he had been riding east on Fifth when he was apparently rear-ended by a driver headed in the same direction, who fled the scene.

There’s no description of the driver or suspect vehicle at this time, and no word on which way they fled.

A street view shows bike lanes on Harbor, but nothing on Fifth.

Anyone with information is urged to call Officer Joseph Clarke at 805/385-7749, or email joseph.clarke@oxnardpd.org.

This is the 32nd bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the fifth we know about in Ventura County; three of those deaths have now occurred in Oxnard.

It was also the 9th fatal hit-and-run involving a bike rider in Southern California this year.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

55-year old ebike-rider Rey Flores dies 3 days after he was struck by a driver in Santa Ana; 2nd Santa Ana bike death this month

May 28, 2026 / / 3 comments

A Santa Ana man has died three days after he was struck by a driver while riding an ebike.

According to a press release from the Santa Ana Police Department, first responders found the victim lying in the street with “significant injuries” at Chestnut and Cypress avenues around 9:35 pm Saturday.

The victim, identified as 55-year old — or possibly 51-year old — Santa Ana resident Rey Flores, was taken to a hospital, where he died on Tuesday.

A preliminary investigation determined Flores was riding west on Chestnut, when he was hit by a driver headed south on Cypress.

A street view shows bike lanes on Cypress north of Chestnut, and on Chestnut east of Cypress, but not in the other two directions. That would have put Flores on the bike lane before he entered the intersection, which is controlled by four-way stop signs.

The driver remained at the scene and did not appear to be impaired.

However, the press release notes that detectives are determining whether Flores was under the influence — which suggests they may have some reason to believe he might have been at fault, or at least impaired.

The police say multiple times that Flores was riding an e-bicycle, suggesting it was a ped-assist bike, rather than an electric motorbike.

Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Corporal M. Pardo of the Santa Ana Police Department Collision Investigation Unit (CIU) at 714/45-8208, or the Santa Ana Police Department Traffic Division at 714/245-8200.

This is the 31st bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the fourth we know about in Orange County; Flores is also the second bike rider killed in Santa Ana this month.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Rey Flores and all his loved ones. 

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

70-year old man killed riding a bicycle on PCH in Huntington Beach late Monday morning; 3rd SoCal bike death in 3 days

April 27, 2026 / / 6 comments

For the third time in just three days, someone has been killed riding a bicycle on the mean streets of Southern California.

This time, on Pacific Coast Highway, one of the state deadliest roadways, from Ventura County to Camp Pendleton.

Multiple sources are reporting that a man was killed by a driver on PCH in Huntington Beach just before noon Monday.

The victim, identified only as a 70-year old man, was riding south on PCH when he began to merge left in an apparent attempt to turn left onto Newland Street around 11:50 am. He was struck by a 20-year old driver traveling in the same direction, who stopped following the crash.

Huntington Beach police found the victim lying unconscious in the roadway. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he died at the scene.

Police don’t think drugs or alcohol played a roll in the crash — at least not for the driver.

However, they noted in a press release that it’s “unknown if impairment was a factor with the rider of the bicycle,” which is a very odd statement to make.

It’s not clear what lane the driver was traveling in, or how fast he may have been going. Or why the victim apparently thought he had time to cross the busy roadway, or why police seem to question whether he was under the influence.

Anyone with information is urged to call Traffic Investigator Steve Flynn of the Huntington Beach Police Department at 714/536-5666.

This the 29th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the second we know about in Orange County.

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

Thanks to Johnson Attorneys Group for the heads-up. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: Man riding ebike killed by hit-and-run driver in LA’s Jefferson Park neighborhood; 8th SoCal bike rider killed in hit-and-run this year

April 27, 2026 / / No comments

Another day, another person killed riding an ebike in Southern California.

This time in Los Angeles.

And this time in a hit-and-run.

Just hours after a 13-year old boy was killed by was killed by an Amtrak train in Simi Valley, a man was killed by a driver in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

According to KTLA-5, which is currently the only outlet reporting on the crash, the victim was struck while riding near 36th Street and 5th Ave around 11 pm Saturday night.

The victim, described only as a man around 48-years old, was thrown onto a parked car with enough force to cause significant damage to the rear of the car.

He died at the scene.

The driver fled following the crash. No arrest has been made, and there is currently no description of the suspect vehicle.

There is also no word on how the crash occurred, or where the victim and the driver were located in relation to the intersection.

We also don’t know at this time what kind of ebike the victim was riding; whether it was a Class 1, 2 or 3 ebike, or an e-motorbike or electric dirt bike. An earlier report describes the bike as a motorized or motorbike, but that description was removed from the later update.

The earlier report also describes the victim as 38-years old.

This the 28th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the tenth in Los Angeles County; it’s also the fifth we know about in the City of Los Angeles.

Eight of those deaths have involved hit-and-run drivers.

As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any fatal hit-and-run driver in the City of Los Angeles.

Update: The victim has been identified only as a 38-year old man, pending notification of next-of-kin, while police are now looking for the owner of a dark-colored Jeep Wrangler, no model year given. 

Anyone with information is urged to call Officer Diaz and Sergeant Nily at 323/421-2577, or 1-877/527-3247 during non-business hours. Or call anonymously at 1-800/222-8477 or lacrimestoppers.org.

Update 2: The victim has been identified as 37-year old Melvin Salgado, no city of residence given.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Melvin Salgado and all his loved ones.

 

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

Update: 13-year old ebike rider killed by Amtrak train in Simi Valley Saturday; 4th Ventura County bike death this year

April 26, 2026 / / 7 comments

Ventura County is having its worst year in memory for bicycling deaths — and it’s only getting worse.

And this time, the victim was a kid.

According to a late night notice from the Simi Valley Police Department, the victim, identified only as a 13-year old juvenile riding an ebike, was killed in a collision with a train on Saturday.

The victim was riding on the east sidewalk of Sequoia Ave, heading south, when they “failed to stop in time” at the railroad crossing at Sequoia and Los Angeles Ave, and was struck by a passing Amtrak train.

It’s not clear if the victim died at the scene, or was taken to a local hospital.

A street view shows crossing gates on Sequoia, but it would have been easy to go around them on the sidewalk.

If the description is accurate, it suggests that the victim tried and failed to stop in time, raising questions of how fast the ebike was going — and what type of ebike a victim that young was riding. As well as why the crossing gates did not provide more warning before the train arrived.

It’s also possible that the victim may not have noticed the gates were down, or could have tried to go around the gates after they had been lowered.

Either way, it’s a needless tragedy that will be felt throughout the community.

Anyone with information is urged to call Simi Valley Police Department Traffic Investigator Abel Martinez at 805/583-6224, or email AMartinez@simivalley.org. Or contact Simi Valley Police Department Traffic Supervisor Sergeant Josh McAlister at 805/583-6940, email JMcAlister@simivalley.org.

This the 27th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the fourth in Ventura County.

That compares to three all year last year, and two the year before.

Update: The victim has been identified as 13-year old Reis Beck, “a loving, sports-crazed boy who had a special relationship with his three brothers and his parents.”

According to KCBS-2, he was riding a Class 3 ped-assist ebike, which could have legally reached speeds up to 28 mph. And as Christian points out below, he was riding on the sidewalk that would have faced traffic, so the traffic arm would have been on the opposite side of the railroad tracks. 

KTLA-5 reports that a statement from the Simi Valley Youth Baseball League posted on Instagram describes Reis as “more than a talented ballplayer.”

“He was a beloved son, brother, teammate and a true friend to so many,” the post says. “His love for the game was evident every time he stepped on the field, but it was his kindness, his energy and his unforgettable smile that truly made him special.” 

A memorial has been set up inside Simi Valley’s Sinaloa Middle School, where he was in the 7th grade. 

Meanwhile, a crowdfunding campaign to support his family has raised more than $54,000 of the $90,000 goal. 

My deepest sympathy for Reis Beck and all their friends, family and loved ones. 

Thanks to Linda for the heads-up. 

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

Update: 78-year old man killed by SUV driver in San Marcos Tuesday; 6th bicycling fatality in San Diego County already this year

April 21, 2026 / / Comments Off on Update: 78-year old man killed by SUV driver in San Marcos Tuesday; 6th bicycling fatality in San Diego County already this year

Someone who’s lasted nearly 80 years on this world deserves better than to die because they went out for a bike ride.

But that’s what happened in San Marcos Tuesday afternoon.

And it’s not likely to be changed this time.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the victim, identified publicly only as a 78-year old man, was struck by the driver of an SUV around 12:11 pm today.

Deputies found him down in the westbound lanes on the 1900 block of West San Marcos Boulevard, west of Rancho Santa Fe Road. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead around 15 minutes later.

A news photo shows a white Lexus SUV with a shattered windshield straddling the traffic lanes, suggesting the victim was struck at speed. Video shows what appears to be the victim’s covered body resting near the center divider.

But be sure you really want to see it before you click on either of the links in that last paragraph, because you can’t unsee it afterwards.

A street view shows a painted bike lane on San Marcos, although there’s no way of knowing was in it at the time of the crash. There’s a posted 45 mph speed limit, at least in the opposite direction.

The driver remained at the scene. Investigators aren’t sure at this time if drugs or alcohol were involved.

Anyone with information is urged to call the San Marcos Sheriff’s station at 760-510-5200.

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

Update: The victim has been identified as 78-year old Olimpio Rodriguez Cervantes of San Marcos.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Olimpio Rodriguez Cervantes and all his loved ones. 

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

Update: Boy riding e-scooter dies two days after Pomona collision

April 20, 2026 / / Comments Off on Update: Boy riding e-scooter dies two days after Pomona collision

Every bicycling death is tragic.

But somehow, it seems even worse when the victim is a kid.

That was the case in Pomona this week, where a boy died two days after he was struck by a driver while riding an ebike.

KTLA-5 reports the victim was riding on the sidewalk on the 1600 block of South San Antonio Ave, near Patterson Street, around 2:30 pm Friday, when he rode out into the street and was struck by a driver.

It’s not clear from the limited description whether he rode out into Patterson at the intersection, or went off the sidewalk and into the street on San Antonio.

A street view shows a bike lane on both sides of the street, so it’s questionable why the victim would have been on the sidewalk.

It’s also not clear whether he was riding was a legal Class 1, 2 or 3 ebike, or an illegal e-moto. Which is exactly the problem when the same word is used to describe anything with batteries and two wheels.

He was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Children’s Hospital Orange County, where he died on Sunday.

The victim hasn’t been publicly identified, and there’s no word at this time just how old he is.

The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, although police remain unsure whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the collision.

Update: Shortly after posting this, KNBC-4 and KABC-7 reported that the victim was a student Simons Middle School, a few blocks away in Pomona. 

Thirteen-year old Angel Mendoza was struck as he was riding an e-scooter to a friend’s house, and died of severe head injuries; he was not wearing a helmet.

A crowdfunding campaign has raise more than $12,000 of the $15,000 goal. 

Since he was not riding a bicycle, the number of bicycling deaths in Southern California remains at 25, and nine in Los Angeles County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Angel Mendoza and all his family and loved ones. 

Ghost tire photo from Streets Are For Everyone website. 

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

Update: Man riding ebike dies after crashing in Point Mugu State Park; death appears to be result of natural causes

April 12, 2026 / / One comment

Sometimes, a crash can cause a heart to stop. And sometimes, a heart stopping can cause a crash.

This time, it looks like it may have been the latter case.

The Ventura County Star is reporting that a man died after suffering cardiac arrest following an ebike in Point Mugu State Park on Saturday, although the story is hidden behind a paywall.

The victim, identified only as a 68-year old man, was riding with a group of people in Sycamore Canyon when he crashed near Big Sycamore Canyon and Ranch Center roads sometime before 1 pm on April 11th.

His fellow riders tried to resuscitate him before county fire personnel and state park rangers arrived and took over; unfortunately, he died at the scene.

Sheriff’s investigators concluded he probably crashed because of a medical problem, although the exact cause will likely be determined by the Ventura County medical examiner.

A street view appears to show the location is a pair of fire roads in hilly terrain.  Even on an ebike, the exertion could have brought on something that caused his heart to stop.

This the 25th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the third in Ventura County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 76-year old Camarillo resident Dean Robertson; the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s office determined he died of atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease. 

It’s not clear why the original report said he was 68. 

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

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