Multiple sources are reporting that a bike rider has been killed in a collision in Studio City this morning.
The male victim, who has not been publicly identified, was hit by a truck while riding on the 12000 block of Ventura Place around 7:45 am.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. No other information is available at this time.
Ventura Place is a short, four-lane commercial street running diagonally between Ventura and Laurel Canyon Boulevards.
This is the 30th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh in Los Angeles County; it’s the first fatality in the City of Los Angeles since the start of the year.
Update: BikinginLA sponsor Josh Cohen points out that a photo on the KABC-7 website shows the covered victim’s body resting near the crosswalk on southbound Redford Ave, at the entrance to Ventura Place off westbound Ventura Blvd.
Update 2: The Daily News has identified the victim as 42-year old North Hollywood resident Cario Joseph Castaneda. The paper says he was riding west when he was struck by a private trash truck as he entered the intersection.
Other reports indicated the driver was traveling in the same direction, suggesting Castaneda may have been right hooked, possibly as he came off the sidewalk.
A comment from Alberto identifies Castaneda as his nephew, and says he was riding to work as he did every morning.
Meanwhile, CiclaValley writes movingly about the impact of a death that stuck so close to home.
Update 3: Castaneda’s family is attempting to raise funds to pay his funeral expenses; so far they’ve raised $5,600 of the $20,000 goal.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
Thanks to Glenn Bailey for the heads-up.
