The recent rash of cycling fatalities claimed another victim on Sunday, as a Hesperia bike rider was run down by a motorist.
Although just how the collision occurred seems to be up for debate.
According to the San Bernardino County Coroner, and repeated by area newspapers, 62-year old Harold Blahut was riding south on Hickory Avenue around 8:35 pm when he was rear-ended by a southbound Volkswagen Passat traveling between 30 mph and 40 mph.
However, the Victorville Daily Press and Hesperia Star report that Blahut was riding west on Sultana Street across the intersection with Hickory Avenue when he was hit by a car driven by 34-year old Carlena Sanchez, who was traveling south on Hickory.
The Daily Press and Star also suggest that alcohol may have been a factor, but fail to note whether it was the driver or cyclist who was suspected of drinking.
This is the 32nd bicycling fatality in Southern California so far this year, and the 5th in San Bernardino County; it’s also the second fatality in less than three months in the small town of Hersperia, with a population just over 90,000.
And it’s the 10th SoCal cycling fatality in just the last 30 days — that’s nearly one-third of all bicycling deaths since the first of the year.
