Once again, someone on a bicycle in Los Angeles has been left to die alone in the street by a heartless coward.
But for a change, we actually learned about it the next day.
According to multiple sources, the victim was run down from behind while riding west on East Century Boulevard near San Pedro Street, in the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood of South LA, around 11 pm Sunday.
The victim, identified only as a man in his mid-30s, died at the scene, his mangled yellow road bike lying nearby in the crosswalk.
Unfortunately, security video was too blurry to provide a description of the suspect vehicle or driver, and there doesn’t appear to be any immediate witnesses.
Google Maps shows a bike lane on the west side of San Pedro, but none on the east, where the crash appears to have occurred.
Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD South Traffic Division at 323/421-2500, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 800/222-8477 or lacrimestoppers.org.
As always, there is a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver for any fatal hit-and-run in the City of LA.
This is at least the 16th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, the fourth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County, and just the second we’ve learned about in the City of Los Angeles — which is likely a dramatic undercount.
This is also at least the fifth bike rider killed by a hit-and-run driver in Southern California this year.
Update: The victim has been identified as 34-year old Jose Villalobos.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jose Villalobos and his loved ones.
Thanks to Jeffrey for the heads-up.
