He was thrown into the street, landing back in the right lane, where he was hit again by the driver of a gray pickup.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Both drivers fled the scene without stopping to render aid or identify themselves, as required by law.
Witnesses reported that several vehicles had struck the victim, but video from the scene showed only two drivers actually hit him, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division at 818/644-8025 or 818/644-8117, or call 877/527-3247 after hours or on the weekend.
As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles, which presumably would apply to information leading to the conviction of either of these drivers.
This is at least the 37th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 11th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the sixth that we know about in the City of Los Angeles.
Fourteen of those SoCal deaths — over 38% — have now come at the hands of heartless cowards who didn’t have the basic human decency to stick around afterward.
According to the Los Angeles Times, nearly one third of all traffic deaths in Los Angeles last year were hit-and-runs; no word on how many of those drivers were eventually arrested and charged, let alone convicted.
Update: The following was posted to Nextdoor in Northridge Village on Friday.
Did anyone last night after 9 pm possibly see a man on a bike get killed by a hit and run driver near Lindley at Parthenia? That was my friend Dan. They didn’t stop. He was coming back from the Dollar store. He was a father and son and a good friend. He was on his bike. Please if anyone saw anything or knows anything. At least he deserves some justice. Just to hit him and leave him to die is too much.
August 28, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Update: Man riding BMX on sidewalk killed by wrong-way, hit-and-run driver in South LA’s Florence-Firestone neighborhood
Nope.
Nothing suspicious here.
A man was struck and killed by a wrong-way, hit-and-run driver while riding his bike on a South LA sidewalk early Thursday morning.
According to Fox-11, the man was riding on the 7900 block of Alameda Street in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood just after 1 am Thursday, when an unknown driver jumped the curb on the opposite side of the roadway, traveling against traffic, and striking the victim on the sidewalk.
The driver sped off following the crash, leaving the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, to die at the scene.
Video from Fox-11 shows the victim’s blurred body lying on the sidewalk, next to his backpack and cellphone, with his BMX bike in the street nearby.
There’s no description of the suspect vehicle at this time, let alone the person behind the wheel.
But considering that the driver struck someone on a raised sidewalk, on the opposite side of a two-way street, it suggests they may have lost control at high rate of speed, or while driving distracted or under the influence.
Or that the crash may have been intentional.
Hopefully we’ll learn more soon.
This is at least the 35th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the tenth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
Thirteen of those SoCal deaths have come at the hands of heartless cowards who didn’t have the basic human decency to stick around afterward.
August 3, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Breaking news: Man riding bicycle killed in Hyde Park hit-and-run; 12th SoCal bike rider killed by hit-and-run drivers this year
Yet another Southern California bike rider has been killed by a heartless hit-and-run driver.
He was identified only as a man in his 40s. His killer was apparently nowhere to be found.
Unfortunately, there’s no word at this time just how the crash happened, or any description of the driver or suspect vehicle. Hopefully we’ll learn more soon.
This is at least the 32nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware this year in Los Angeles County; it’s also just the fifth in the City of Los Angeles — at least that we know about.
Twelve of those SoCal deaths have been the victims of heartless cowards who didn’t have the basic human decency to stick around afterward.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
On the other hand, I can understand the need to lash out at someone, after something like that.
Which leaves us with a lot to catch up on. So let’s see how much we can get to before I have to pack it in for the night.
And it’s a sad commentary that I’m looking forward to shoulder surgery next week just so I can get a couple good hours of sleep.
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Photo shows former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signing the city’s soon-forgotten Vision Zero plan behind his massive outdoor desk, courtesy of Streetsblog.
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Just 151 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
In fact, it’s most likely to be noticed as nothing more than just a blip in their busy schedules, if they notice at all.
Move along, nothing to see here.
Maybe we should replace the current city seal with one bearing the “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” monkeys. Although, now that I think about it, trained monkeys could probably do a better job building a safer city.
The site also reports that drivers in Los Angeles continue to flee from fatal crashes in ever-rising numbers, with 62 hit-and-run deaths in the the just first six months of this year alone — more than double the total of two last pre-pandemic years, with 28 in 2018, and 29 in 2019.
Which would equate to roughly 10 to 12 deaths from traffic violence in a city of LA’s size, with nearly four million people.
And that’s a hell of a lot fewer than we’re likely to endure this year.
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This is who we share the road with.
A commenter at a Glendale City Council meeting freely admits that he thinks his time is more important than the life of someone riding a bicycle, and will gladly speed to cut you off.
Maybe someone should have cut him off.
Here’s the guy from the Glendale council meeting who bragged about threatening cyclists with his car. “I will cut you off…and I’m not afraid to say it in front of a police officer…my time is more important to me than you riding your bike.” pic.twitter.com/nCxiRQlvoy
And topping this week’s Tour de Road Rage, two men in Highland, California pulled out guns and shot each other to death — in front of one victim’s kids, no less — after one man clipped the other driver’s car mirror while lane splitting on his motorcycle.
Which is all probably fair warning before you lose your top the next time a driver cuts you off or passes too close, because they may be armed and dangerous.
Then again, they’re already driving a multi-ton lethal weapon, anyway.
Gravel Bike California marks this weekend’s Tour de Big Bear with a series of single-track jewels guided by local host and Dirty Bear organizer Robin Brown.
A large part of the problem seems to come from issues with the program’s administrator, a program known as Pedal Ahead. It was selected under raised eyebrows by CARB back in 2022 and tasked with managing the program. However, (Streetsblog’s Melanie) Curr) insinuates that personal connections between a former CARB board member and the founder of Pedal Ahead may have led to its application being granted extra weight despite proposing a significantly different incentive program than that envisioned by the state…
But a slew of complicated issues still needed to be solved, ranging from how the vouchers would be distributed to what types of e-bikes would be eligible and whether online retailers would be allowed to participate, just to name a few.
Over a year was spent trying to work out answers to these questions and many more, often complicated by rethinking earlier decisions and creating new project proposals.
All in favor of just scrapping the damn thing and starting over say “aye!”
After a good criminal investigation or two, that is.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
A Bend, Oregon family discovered the hard way that the law isn’t always clear-cut when it comes to ebikes, after a middle school student suffered a fractured collarbone and elbow when she was struck by a 17-year old boy riding one — and the cops said there’s nothing they could do.
Researchers from UC Santa Barbara will use a $480,000 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant to train AI to design a bicycle and wayfinding network for Santa Barbara County, while San Jose will get a similar, if considerably smaller, grant from Toyota to use AI to improve traffic safety. Never mind that we’re talking about the same advanced tech that draws people with three legs, thinks some Nazi soldiers were Black, and suggests shows Netflix couldn’t pay you to watch. Or maybe that’s just me.
This is how Vision Zero is supposed to work. Chicago has now installed a spacious curb-protected bike lane on a deadly street where drivers killed two teenagers riding bikes in separate crashes recently, and is in the process of building a nearby neighborhood greenway.
Except the Ventura County medical examiner said it was just an “oopsie.”
You know, big harm, no foul.
While this site was down for the last few days, news broke that the victim was killed, and several other people injured in a separate collision, when they were struck by the robber as he tried to escape the cops in an SUV shortly after 4 pm.
There’s no word at this time on just how the crash occurred.
Toliver continued without stopping until he crashed into another car, injuring a number of people in that car, and was arrested at gunpoint along with another man.
Fortunately, none of those victims were seriously injured.
Toliver was booked on suspicion of armed robbery, as well as evasion of law enforcement and second-degree murder.
However, the murder charge was dropped after the medical examiner inexplicably ruled Pierret’s death an accident, explaining that traffic deaths are usually considered accidents “unless there is some unusual circumstance.”
Apparently, killing someone while evading police after robbing someone is perfectly normal in Ventura County.
Instead, Toliver was charged with two counts of second degree robbery, evading an officer causing death, fleeing the scene of an accident aausing death, grand theft of a firearm, and assault with a semi-automatic firearm, along with a whopping 21 special allegations.
July 25, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Study shows road diets don’t affect EMS response times, and LAPD belatedly asks for help solving Lincoln Heights hit-and-run
Just 159 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
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A new study shows exactly what we’ve been saying all along — that road diets don’t affect emergency response times.
The study involved Iowa road diets that converted formerly four lane roadways to two lanes in each direction and a center turn lane. It confirmed there was no difference in emergency response times from before the installation to after they were installed.
And despite what we’re usually told, most EMS responders didn’t think they did, either.
On the other hand, what did affect response times was drivers who didn’t know how the hell to yield to emergency vehicles, especially after a lane had been removed.
And from what we’ve seen here in Los Angeles, that’s most of them.
The driver reportedly ran a red light, causing the 49-year old motorcyclist to lay down his bike to avoid a collision. The victim then slid under a box truck and was run over, and died after being taken to a hospital.
The pickup driver continued without stopping.
And yes, it’s considered hit-and-run if you cause a crash, even if you don’t come into actual contact with the victim or their vehicle.
Never mind that, as usual, the LA cops waited until the trail got cold and people’s memory of the event faded before bothering to ask for the public’s help.
Even though both the city and state have passed hit-and-run alert programs intended to notify the public immediately after a crash, when people are most likely to recall key details that could lead to an arrest.
As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of this driver, or any other driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.
Even though California’s program would have been the first in the nation if it had actually launched when it was originally approved by the legislature.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
Four people have been arrested on murder and conspiracy charges following a West London collision that killed two men in their 20s riding bicycles. Unfortunately, given British press restrictions, there’s no information on how the crash occurred, why so many people were arrested or why police consider it a double murder.
No bias here. After yet another mass casualty crash, the BBC employs it’s most passive voice to say a “car and seven cyclists collided,” resulting in at least four serious injuries, and doesn’t even mention that the car had a driver until the next-to-last paragraph. Never mind that it’s highly unlikely the bicyclist collided with the car, rather than the driver plowing them down.
Police in San Diego are asking for the public’s help in finding the hit-and-run driver who left a 60-year old bike rider in grave condition. The victim suffered numerous injuries, including a fractured neck and bleeding in the brain; unfortunately, there’s no description of the driver or suspect vehicle. The cops actually managed to alert the public within days of the crash, rather than waiting weeks or months after a serious hit-and-run, if they even get around to it, like the LAPD.
An Alaska news site questions whether anyone is actually using a new Anchorage bike path as it nears the halfway point of the pilot project — even though it’s used by up to 150 bike riders a day, and the downtown bike corral it connects to is often full, with as many as 100 bicycles.
The post-pandemic bike bust claims another victim, as a 141-year old Cleveland bike shop that’s been run by the same family for three generations prepares to shutter its doors at the end of next month, a victim of supply chain problems and the difficulty finding trained workers.
The sister of assassinated British Member of Parliament Jo Cox celebrated the “inspirational” bike ride in her honor, with 83 people ranging from 16 to 78 completing the 288-mile ride from her hometown to London, where Cox was killed by a terrorist eight years ago.
An Irish man credits his bike helmet with saving his life when he was struck by a driver this past weekend, and thinks because they helped him, they should be required for everyone. Even though bike helmets are designed for relatively low speed falls, not violent collisions with bigass motor vehicles.
Velo examines who did and didn’t rake in the big bucks for the recently completed Tour de France, with three-time champ Tadej Pogačar hauling in nearly $875,000, while Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay brought a relatively paltry $58,000, despite winning three stages and the green jersey.
Outsideprofiles Olympic mountain biker Riley Amos, and the small southwest Colorado mountain town I can’t talk my wife into moving to that’s produced more top cyclists than almost any other American city.
July 19, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Ramos faces up to 20 years for killing five-year old in drunken hit-and-run, and wannabe Trump assassin was one of us
Just 165 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
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A few people have volunteered to write guest posts to help keep this site from going dark when I’m out next month for surgery on my torn rotator cuff.
So if you’re interested in filling in here for a few days, or joining them in submitting a guest post or two, just email me at the address on the About page above.
Ramos, who had a blood alcohol content of .22% at the time of his arrest, now faces a charge of vehicular manslaughter, as well as felony counts of driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury, driving with blood alcohol of .08% or more causing bodily injury, and hit and run with injury, with sentencing enhancements for leaving a victim comatose or paralyzed and inflicting great bodily injury.
If he is convicted on all counts, Ramos could spend the next two decades behind bars. But the most likely result is that the DA will allow him to plead to a reduced sentence in order to guarantee a conviction.
The lack of a murder charge indicates this is probably Ramos’ first DUI arrest, or he at least hasn’t been convicted before.
The good news, if there is any in this mess, is that Jacob’s six-year-old sister has been released from the hospital after undergoing surgery for her injuries. However, the children’s father is still in a coma due to a fractured skull and bleeding in the brain.
Meanwhile, Streets Are For Everyone, aka SAFE, will install a ghost bike for Jacob Ramirez later today.
He then ditched his bike in full view of cops and crowds of people before climbing onto to warehouse roof and opening fire on the former president.
Which kinda raises the question of why no one noticed a man riding a bicycle while carrying a rifle at a political rally, whether it was in or out of a case.
And he bizarrely says bicyclists should slow and come to a complete stop at any intersection without a green light, which would mean pissing off drivers by stopping at every uncontrolled intersection.
Then again, we seem to piss off drivers if we stop for stop signs, as well as when we roll through them.
And God help you if you find yourself blocking a driver’s turn because you stopped for a red light.
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Gravel Bike California marks their 5th Anniversary by revisiting their favorite LA Area route.
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
The solemnity of a poignant Birmingham, England slow ride in memory of a fallen bicyclist was interrupted by angry drivers blaring on their horns over the momentary inconvenience of having to slow down to go around them. Which kinda made the bicyclist’ point for them.
But sometimes it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
Once again, cops and the news media conflate electric motorcycles and ebikes as if they’re the same thing, with sheriff’s deputies complaining about kids on illegal off-road electric motorcycles — not electric bicycles — terrorizing customers at an Orange County mall with air-soft guns.
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Local
LAistreports on the health effects of chronic noise, as the US Department of Transportation says Los Angeles is one of the country’s loudest counties, thanks largely to our incessant traffic.
Writing for Streetsblog, former Southland resident Melissa Balmer says it’s time to revive the 1990’s Bikes Belong campaign to help deliver needed funds for active transportation infrastructure, and stop killing people.
Emergency responders were caught off guard when they found themselves in the middle of a Colorado gravel race as they responded to a bicyclist injured in a multi-rider crash, with competitors reportedly swerving in front of the ambulance. Seriously guys, give emergency vehicles a wide berth, regardless of whether you’re competing in a race or just riding to the corner market. Someone’s life could depend on it.
For over a week now, we’ve followed the story of the Garden Grove family who were run down by an allegedly drunken hit-and-run driver as the parents rode their bikes, towing their children behind in child trailers.
The crash left the father and two of the kids critically injured, while the mother and their eight-month old baby were hospitalized in stable condition, and released a few days later.
The crash occurred shortly after 7:30 pm on Sunday, July 7th, on the 12300 block of Haster Street near Twin Tree Lane, when they were apparently run down from behind by Santa Ana resident Ceferino Ascencion Ramos.
Ramos fled the scene, but was arrested shortly later after he was followed by a witness to the crash.
He reportedly had a .22 blood alcohol level at the time of his arrest — nearly three times the .08 legal limit. The station reports he was on his way to buy more beer at an Anaheim liquor store when he slammed into the family.
He has been charged with felony counts of hit-and-run with permanent and serious injury, failing to stop at a hit-and-run accident with injury, and driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, with sentencing enhancements for leaving a victim comatose or paralyzed and inflicting great bodily injury.
More charges will be pending now, including a likely murder charge if Ramos has a previous DUI on his record.
It’s also possible that the news could get worse.
The story reports that Jacob’s father, 27-year old Angel Hernandez Mejia and his seven-year old sister remain in comas over a week after the crash.
A crowdfunding campaign for the family has raised over $64,000 of the $100,000 goal, though it’s likely they’ll need a lot more than that before this is over.
This is at least the 29th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in Orange County.
It’s also worth noting that reports have indicated none of the family members were wearing bike helmets, which are legally required for children under 18.
However, there’s no way to know whether that would have been enough to prevent their injuries in this collision.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jacob Ramirez and all his family and loved ones.
Just 169 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
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I’m still looking for anyone interested in filling in here after my shoulder surgery next month, whether you’re willing to take over for a day or two a week, or simply submitting a guest post or two.
The victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was riding her mountain bike eastbound in the 13100 block of Rancho Peñasquitos Blvd around 8:40 am, when a driver traveling in the same direction swerved into her.
Police are looking for a mid-sized, silver or charcoal gray SUV of an undetermined make. There’s no description of the driver, who was reportedly driving erratically prior to the crash.
Anyone with information is urged to call the traffic division of the San Diego Police Department 858/495-7823; or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 888/580-8477.
Hopefully, the victim will recover from her injuries, and they’ll find — and prosecute — the heartless coward who did it to her.
According to the San Diego County DA’s office, Christian Joshua Howard pled guilty on Thursday to a single felony count of hit-and-run causing death, along with a misdemeanor count of destroying or concealing evidence for the March 17th collision that killed 51-year old Oceanside postal carrier Tracey Gross.
Howard reportedly dragged Gross’ bike two miles underneath his car as he fled the scene, running her down as she rode her bike home after going into work at the post office on Sunday night.
Writing for a Santa Clarita paper, a retired LAPD motorcycle cop somehow feels the need to remind bike riders that the law applies to them, too. Funny how no one ever seems to feel the need to remind drivers about that, even though they break the law just as often, with far deadlier consequences.
Simi Valley will get a new bike plan, after the city awarded a nearly quarter-million-dollar contract to develop a new plan, including an outreach program featuring at least three community workshops, 10 local events, and web and social media engagement. Although as we’ve learned the hard way here in Los Angeles, even the best plan is only as good as the commitment of city leaders to actually build the damn thing.
July 12, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on 5-year old hit-and-run victim declared brain dead, Burbank law firm’s bike giveaway, and speed cams coming to Long Beach
Just 172 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
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Truly heartbreaking news, as the five-year old boy critically injured in a Garden Grove hit-and-run isn’t going to make it.
Jacob was injured when 29-year old Ceferino Ramos allegedly plowed into the family on Sunday as Jacob’s mother and father were riding their bikes, towing their three young children behind in child trailers.
The entire family was initially hospitalized, with Jacob, his father and six-year old sister critically injured, while his mother and eight-month old sister were released the next day.
Let’s just hope his parents donate Jacob’s organs so something good can come from this nightmare.
Meanwhile, Ramos was arrested after being followed by a witness to the crash, after which he had a .22 blood alcohol level — nearly three times the legal limit.
He faces charges that including DUI causing bodily injury and hit-and-run with permanent injury or death; however, if he has a previous DUI on his record, that will likely be upgraded to murder sometime after Jacob is declared dead on Friday.
Do you know a special child aged 6 to 17 who goes above and beyond to do something nice for someone else? Or who positively impacts their siblings, classmates, or community? We want to reward these exceptional kids with a brand-new bike, helmet and t-shirt! Nominate a child who you believe deserves this special recognition. Share their story and let us know why they stand out.
Winners will be announced on July 26th, so you have about two weeks to get your noms in.
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Long Beach is working to improve safety by installing speed cams as part of a pilot program, with revenue going to first pay for the program, then be used for traffic-calming measures at the affected sites.
Live in LA County? Low income? Get a $150/mo mobility wallet for 1 year. You can even save up multiple months and buy your own ebike! Apply now. 2000 people selected at random from all applicants @bikinginlahttps://t.co/EHDNUYvuOU
This is who we share the road with, part two. A longtime Ontario city counselor has been arrested for hit-and-run and DUI; Jim Bowman has been on and off the Ontario city council for the last 40 decades. Apparently they don’t have effective term limits there. Or someone to take away his keys.
Good question. SF Gate wants to know why the streets of San Francisco are still dangerous, ten years after the city adopted Vision Zero. Then again, Los Angeles is only one year behind them in our epic Vision Zero fail.
Gear Junkiesays buy your new ebike now, because Biden’s new China tariffs are already raising prices. To which California’s ebike rebate program says…nothing.
