Evidently, Friday was a very bad day for SoCal cyclists.
First we got word that a Los Angeles rider had died in a Hollywood dooring a week earlier; then an Orange County rider was killed while riding in a Mission Viejo bike lane.
And now comes news that a cyclist was killed in Blythe, just miles from the Arizona border.
Unfortunately, very few details are available at this time.
The Riverside County Coroner’s office reports that 49-year old Alvin Aguirre was hit by an apparently driverless sedan, no make or model given, while riding on the 2200 block of West Hobsonway. The injury occurred at 6:22 pm, and he was pronounced dead at 6:41.
No word on how or why the collision occurred, or who may have been at fault. And no mention of whether the driver remained at the scene.
This is the ninth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, which equals the total for this time last year, and the first in Riverside County. It’s also the second cycling fatality in the tiny desert town in less than two years.
My prayers and condolences for Aguirre and his family.
Update: The Desert Independent finally offers more information on Alvin Aguirre’s death.
According to the paper, he was riding west on Hobsonway while pulling a trailer with his bike; witnesses reported seeing him ride unsteadily, weaving within the traffic lane prior to the collision. They saw him swerve into the path of a 2012 Nissan Sentra driven by 26-year old Ramon Torres of Blythe with no explanation, where he was hit from behind.
Passing Border Patrol agents attempted to revive Aguirre before paramedics arrived; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Torres was tested at the scene, but showed no sign of impairment.
