Tag Archive for Los Angeles County

Proposed LA County budget zeroes Vision Zero funding, and Bike to Work/Bike to Anywhere Day heats up — except in LA

May 15, 2024 / / One comment
Just 232 days until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
So stop what you’re doing and sign this petition to demand Mayor Bass hold a public meeting to listen to the dangers we all face on the mean streets of LA.

Then share it — and keep sharing it — with everyone you know, on every platform you can.

We’re still stuck on 1,131 signatures, so don’t stop now! Urge everyone you know to sign the petition, until she meets with us! 

Photo by Darren Graves.

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Seriously?

LA County is apparently planning to zero out funding for Vision Zero. But you’ll have to hurry, because the County Board of Supervisors is meeting at 9:30 today to discuss the proposed budget.

You can find all the details in the link.

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A handful of events will mark Bike to Work/Bike to Anywhere Day in parts of LA County today and tomorrow.

Or as it’s known in the City of LA this year, Wednesday. And Thursday.

Burbank is hosting a pre-Bike to Work Day event at Johnny Carson Park from 11 am to 2 pm today, with complimentary bike check-ups and refurbished bike sales from Burbank Bike Angels, as well as other reps from local bike shops and advocacy groups.

Playa Vista Compass is hosting an early Bike to Work Day pit stop from 8 to 10 am today.

In addition to tonight’s Ride of Silence at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, there will also be a Los Angeles Ride of Silence starting at Re:Ciclos in Koreatown.

West Hollywood is teaming with the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition to host a Bike to Work pit stop at 8743 Santa Monica Boulevard from 7 to 9 am tomorrow.

Santa Monica Next looks at the events, giveaways and an array of refreshment pit stops for Santa Monica’s Bike to Anywhere Day, nee Bike to Work Day, on Thursday.

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Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Well, you will, right?

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The famed Mayor Clinic offers quick tips on how to avoid common injuries while riding your bike.

My best advice is to keep it upright, and just try to stay on it.

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A pair of video hosts for GCN recall the dumb, painful and craziest things they’ve done on a bike.

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It’s now 145 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And 35 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

No bias here. KTLA-5 examines the stop sign cams operated by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the public entity overseeing over 75,000 acres of Southern California parklands. But they do if from the perspective of an aggrieved father whose son rolled a stop sign and considers it an unfair money grab, rather than a program designed to save lives by keeping drivers from breaking one of the most basic traffic laws.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

Evidently, a headline writer for the Daily Mail has never seen a bicycle — or just can’t shake that windshield perspective — writing that the husband of a woman who was mowed down by ‘anti social’ teen called for harsher sentences for reckless riders, after a “spate of accidents behind the wheel.”

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Local 

This is who we share the road with. An alleged speeding drunk driver killed a home in Garden Grove. And the woman who was sleeping in it with her husband. Thanks to How the West Was Saved for the link.

The Santa Monica City Council considers a quintet of bike motions, including what would be LA County’s second bicyclist anti-harassment ordinance, after Los Angeles passed a similar measure in 2011, as well as examining what improvements are necessary to make Neilson Way a “safer and more attractive place to walk or ride a bicycle.”

 

State

Sad news from Stockton, where a man was killed when he was rear-ended at 75 mph while inexplicably riding his bicycle in the left lane of the I-5 Freeway.

Tragic news from Hayward, where a student from India’s Telugu region studying for his master’s at Cal State East Bay is in extremely critical condition and not expected to survive after he was struck by a driver while riding his ebike to see his family; family members are trying to raise funds to send his body back to India.

 

National

Bicycling offers advice on how to get your money’s worth when you sell your bike. Read it on AOL this time if the magazine blocks you.

The Cycling Independent examines why nearly every major bikemaker is struggling right now, and what it could mean going forward. Thanks to Malcomb Watson for the heads-up. 

Nice gesture from the widow of a fallen Seattle bicyclist, who donated $20,000 raised in a crowdfunding campaign after his death to local safe streets organizations.

A Wisconsin bike shop owner shares his “unpopular opinions” as the BikeFarmer on YouTube, including that the best bike for most people is the one you already have.

Good idea. A Michigan advocacy group is pushing to reclassify killing or injuring someone on a bicycle as a felony, instead of leaving it up to prosecutors to decide whether to file as a felony or misdemeanor.

 

International

Momentum considers five bicycle-friendly cities for a memorable spring bike getaway. Needless to say, none of them is Los Angeles.

Colombian pro cyclist Javier Jamaica was the victim of violent thieves who knocked him off his bike, then beat him and tied him up, before taking off with his cell phone, helmet, sunglasses and bike shoes; the Venezuelan suspects reportedly laughed at police when they arrested them.

Strava responded to calls to remove a popular section of London’s Regent’s Park where a speeding bike rider killed an elderly pedestrian, urging bicyclists to prioritize everyone’s safety, instead.

London’s floating bus stops may live on, after a member of the city assembly backed them for saving lives, despite complaints of reckless bike riders plowing through lines of bus passengers blocking the bike lanes.

 

Competitive Cycling

The Washington Post looks at Indiana University’s iconic Little 500, the “wacky, grueling bike race” that captivates Bloomington Indiana, and was made famous in Breaking Away.

Former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas is getting frustrated over conditions in the Giro, insisting “We’re just clowns in a circus.”

Good question. Cycling Weekly wants to know why cyclists put up with dangerous driving in bike races, when we wouldn’t accept it in any other circumstance.

Defending US Men’s and Women’s National Road Cycling champs Chloé Dygert and Quinn Simmons won’t defend their titles at this weekend’s Nats in West Virginia, opting instead for automatic berths on the US team in the Paris Olympics.

Finnish F1 driver Valtteri Bottas is having better luck on bikes than cars this year, after recently finishing 11th in Norther California’s Grasshopper Adventure Series alongside his girlfriend, Aussie pro cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.

 

Finally…

Your old bike chains could have a new life as Pokémon sculptures. That feeling when even riding an ebike up the city’s steepest hill proves a challenge.

And who would win a race between a bicyclist and a longboarder down California’s Donner Pass?

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Update: 45-year old man killed in hit-and-run in Sepulveda Basin; 80% of 2024 LA County bike deaths are hit-and-runs

May 3, 2024 / / 3 comments

KNBC-4 is reporting that a man was killed by a hit-and-run driver in the Sepulveda Basin Friday night.

According to the station, the man was riding south on a dark stretch of Woodley Ave near Victory Blvd when he was struck by a motorist shorty after 8 pm, and thrown roughly 45 to 50 feet from the point of impact.

The victim, identified only as 45-year old man, died at the scene.

The suspect vehicle is described only as a silver SUV with likely front end damage; there’s no description yet of the heartless coward who left him to die alone in the street.

Hopefully we’ll learn more in the morning.

This is at least the 16th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the fourth in the City of Los Angeles.

Six of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs, as have four of the five deaths in LA County.

As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the driver in any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.

Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division Investigator Hansen at 818/644-8115 or Investigator Reyes at 818/644-8022.

Update: The victim has been identified as Jose Pineda, no age or city of residence given. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jose Pineda and his loved ones.

Thanks to Erik Griswold for the heads-up.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , ,

Update: Innocent bike rider becomes collateral damage in South LA police chase; victim identified as Colombian man

April 24, 2024 / / Comments Off on Update: Innocent bike rider becomes collateral damage in South LA police chase; victim identified as Colombian man

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

We’ve seen a number of police chases in recent years that resulted in close calls with people riding bicycles, with riders nearly struck by fleeing drivers.

Now you can remove “nearly” from that statement.

According to multiple sources, a man was killed while riding his bike in South LA Wednesday morning, collateral damage to a burglary suspect attempting to speed away from pursuing cops.

The incident began when the suspect allegedly tried to break into a vehicle near East 48th and Central Streets in South LA, and attempted to flee in his car with the owner of the vehicle in close pursuit.

The LAPD took over the chase near 48th Street and Central Ave, pursuing the suspect through several area streets before he slammed into the victim at 46th and Hopper Ave around 6:12 am, while reportedly driving on the wrong side of the roadway.

The victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was sent flying through the air, landing next to his badly damaged bicycle. A witness description suggests that he likely died instantly upon impact.

The driver lost control after the crash, smashing into eight other vehicles before rolling his car, coming to rest upside down in the street. He reportedly attempted to flee on foot before being taken into custody.

He will likely face yet to be determined felony charges, according to police.

One of which should be murder.

This is at least the 14th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the third in the City of Los Angeles.

And yet another tragic reminder of the dangers police chases pose to innocent bystanders.

Update: The victim has been identified as 46-year old Colombian native Jose David Monsalve Rojas. 

According to KTLA-5, 

A GoFundMe page set up by loved ones describes Monsalve Rojas as a father of five who left Colombia in search of a better life and had a dream, they said, of curing his daughter’s liver disease.

“Imagine, a regular morning now turned into a day we’ll never forget,” the campaign organizer wrote. “David touched lives in ways that words can barely capture. A soul so deeply devoted to his children.”

So far, the crowdfunding page has raised less than $700 of the modest $5,000 goal. 

Meanwhile, the speeding driver who struck Rojas with her Chevrolet Suburban SUV was ID’d as 23-year old Germaine Smith.

Smith is being held on $327,000 bond after being booked for felony evading causing death, as well as additional outstanding warrants,

Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Traffic Group Detectives at 213/486-0690; information can be provided anonymously online or by calling 800/222-8477.

My deepest sympathy for Jose David Monsalve Rojas and all his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , , ,

100% of known 2024 LA-area traffic deaths involve hit-and-run drivers, and Malibu backs questionable PCH speed bill

April 12, 2024 / / One comment
Just 264 days until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
So stop what you’re doing and sign this petition to demand Mayor Bass hold a public meeting to listen to the dangers we all face on the needlessly mean streets of LA.

Then share it — and keep sharing it — with everyone you know, on every platform you can. 

We’re now up to 1,066 signatures, so keep it going! Urge everyone you know to sign the petition, until the mayor agrees to meet with us! 

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It’s now 113 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And 34 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

No bias here. A Newport, Rhode Island letter writer argues that narrowing a main road to make room for bike lanes is just “politically correct silliness that exalts the interests of the 0.1 percent of the population who would actually ride bicycles on a main thoroughfare over the 99.9 percent of us who use motor vehicles to go about our business.”

No bias here, either. Seventy-seven-year old British actress Patricia Hodge accused bicyclists of thinking they’re the center of the universe, because one “unforgivably rude but also dangerous” bicyclist almost hit her as she crossed a street, adding, “The only reason they’re angry is because they know I’m right.” Which is wrong in so many ways. Starting with the very large brush she seems to have stuck up her…oh, never mind. 

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Local 

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton offers more details on Measure HLA officially becoming law in Los Angeles.

Santa Monica unveiled the long-gestating first and last mile safety improvements surrounding the Bergamot Metro Station.

 

State

Riverside County approved the 2024 Traffic Relief Plan calling for improving pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths, but also widening traffic corridors in an apparent effort to make them more dangerous.

Four more establishments have joined the lawsuit accusing San Francisco’s Valencia Street centerline protected bike lane of destroying their businesses by diverting traffic and eliminating parking.

 

National

Louisville, Kentucky’s Goodwill outlet is fixing up donated bikes, and giving them to anyone who needs a way to get to work.

That’s more like it. A New Jersey man will spend 15 years behind bars after admitting to the hit-and-run that killed a 14-year old boy riding a bicycle; the boy’s mother forgave the man who killed him “from the bottom of (her) heart.”

A DC traffic safety project will no longer include bike lanes, after residents insisted they would cause congestion and they’d rather keep curbside parking. Which kind of negates the whole “safety” part of the project.

A Memphis website offers the “ultimate guide” to bicycling in the city. Which comes after the city handed its mantle as the nation’s worst city for bicyclists off to Los Angeles, which appears to have retired the crown.

 

International

They get it. A British Columbia newspaper says the province’s new three-foot passing law doesn’t go far enough to protect bike riders, calling for “radical changes” to the streets.

A London bike rider says he’s greeted with smiles and thumbs-up from motorists despite being a MAMIL. But only when he rides with his tiny toy poodle.

There’s a special place in hell for whoever left a five-year old boy terrified after inexplicably hitting the kid over the head in a random attack as he rode his bike with his mom and sister.

Britain’s “optical illusion” bike path will get an overnight fix to keep people from tripping over the curb that appears to be flat.

I want to be like him when I grow up. An 80-year old British man plans to bike 100 miles from his home to thank the hospital staff who saved his life from a near-fatal infection. Except for the whole “near-fatal infection,” of course.

A city council candidate in Malta set out to demonstrate how easy it is to bike to work instead of driving. And ended up with two broken arms after drivers squeezed him off the road.

An Israeli website recommends the best bike baskets currently for sale on Amazon. Which doesn’t exactly equate to the best bike baskets, does it? 

An Aussie car site says “technically” a driver isn’t allowed to enter a crosswalk until a pedestrian completely crosses the street, although “the law is open to interpretation.” If something is technically prohibited, it’s prohibited, period. But sure, tell us how bike riders are “technically” required to stop for stop signs. 

 

Competitive Cycling

Wout van Aert has ruled himself out of next month’s Giro as he struggles to recover from serious injuries suffered in a massive 12-bike crash at the Dwars door Vlaanderen; meanwhile, Primož Roglič is already back to training after being injured in the same crash.

 

Finally…

That feeling when Putin’s election is considered fairer than a decision than to sometimes close a canyon road to motor vehicles. Or when a weird-looking wheel clip promises to turn any bicycle into a weird-looking ebike.

And our corgi would like to apologize on behalf of all members of her breed for the actions of the small sheepdog and corgi that darted in front of an Irish bike club, causing two members to fall.

Because if we’re going to keep blaming all bike riders for the actions of a few, we should probably extend that same collective blame to every other group, as well.

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Update: Young man riding bicycle killed in Wilmington hit-and-run — 3rd fatal LA County bike hit-and-run this year

April 11, 2024 / / Comments Off on Update: Young man riding bicycle killed in Wilmington hit-and-run — 3rd fatal LA County bike hit-and-run this year

News is just coming in that a bike rider was killed in a Wilmington hit-and-run Thursday night.

According to KCBS/KCAL News, the victim, described only as a man in his 20s, was struck by a driver around 8:45 pm while riding at Wilmington Blvd and West G Street.

He died at the scene.

There’s no word on how the crash occurred, and no description of the heartless coward who left him there to die, or the vehicle they were driving.

There is a bike lane in both directions on Wilmington, with the intersection controlled only by stop signs on West G.

Hopefully, we’ll learn more soon.

This is at least the 12th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of already this year in Los Angeles County; it’s also the second in the City of Los Angeles.

Five of those SoCal deaths have been hit-and-runs, as have all of the deaths in LA County.

As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the driver in any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.

Update: The victim has been identified as 28-year old Wilmington resident Junior Valle.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Junior Valle and his loved ones.

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Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , ,

Longtime La Grange club member Edgar Burcksen died after suffering a heart attack; he was 76.

April 8, 2024 / / Comments Off on Longtime La Grange club member Edgar Burcksen died after suffering a heart attack; he was 76.

More bad news.

This time, it could hit close to home for many LA bicyclists.

According to an email from Velo Club La Grange, longtime club member Edgar Burcksen died Sunday morning, five days after he was injured while riding on San Vicente Blvd this past Tuesday.

Unfortunately, there’s no information at this time on whether Burcksen was struck by a driver or injured in fall, or where it occurred on San Vicente, which runs from South LA to Santa Monica. (Note: See Update 2 below for more information.)

Here’s how the email to club members described Burcksen.

Edgar was a long time LaGrange member who was a dependable, hardworking wheel just as he was in his life as an accomplished film editor, husband, father and friend. Well into his seventies, Edgar continued to ride numerous double centuries and participated in many club events including the LaGrange cup races. In 2006 Edgar edited the documentary about club founder Raymond Fouquet and Velo Club LaGrange early days called “The Gift”.
 Edgar’s cheerful smile and laugh will be missed.

Edgar is survived by his wife Jana, his son Branko and daughter Romaika.

Hopefully, we’ll learn more soon.

Update: Film industry publication Variety reports Burcksen died of complications from a heart attack in Los Angeles; he was 76. 

According to IMDB, Burksen had a long career in Hollywood as a film editor after moving here from his native Netherlands, working on projects ranging from The Hunt for Red October and Die Hard 2 to award-winning TV series and documentaries. 

Here’s how they end their bio.

Edgar Burcksen is an avid cyclist who rides100 miles every week with his Brentwood cycling club LaGrange, he is a member of the Editors Guild, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, he served the Board of Directors of ACE for many years and was the Editor in Chief of ACE’s magazine CinemaEditor for more than 17 years. For his contributions during his tenure as Editor in Chief of CinemaEditor he received the prestigious Robert Wise Award during the 2011 ACE Eddie Awards. He is fluent in English, German, French and of course Dutch.

Update 2: I’m told that Burcksen’s heart attack had nothing to do with the fact that he was riding a bike at the time, and was not caused by bicycling. He actually passed 12 days after the initial incident. 

As a result, I am removing his death from the fatality totals for both Southern California and Los Angeles. 

I also initially spelled his name as Burksen, rather than Burcksen, based on other reports, and apologize for the mistake. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Edgar Burcksen and all his family and loved ones. 

Photo from Velo Club La Grange

Thanks to Mitchell Guzik, Aaron A. Thomas and ChrisByBike for the heads-up.

Category: Health / Tags: , , , , ,

58-year old man struck and killed by two drivers on Crenshaw Blvd in South LA; one driver fled the scene

January 19, 2024 / / Comments Off on 58-year old man struck and killed by two drivers on Crenshaw Blvd in South LA; one driver fled the scene

Now they’re ganging up on us.

A man was killed trying to cross Crenshaw Blvd on his bicycle Wednesday night when he was struck by two drivers in rapid succession — one of whom fled the scene.

According to KTLA-5, the victim was attempting to cross Crenshaw from west to east, just south of Stocker Street, when he was struck by a driver traveling north on Crenshaw around 7:30 pm.

He was flung into the air, and was struck by a speeding driver, also heading north on Crenshaw, after hitting the pavement.

The first driver had the basic human decency to remain at the scene and attempt to aid the victim.

The second one didn’t.

The victim, identified only as a 59-year old man, died at the scene.

The story notes that he was crossing outside of a marked crosswalk, even though there is no requirement, or even an expectation, for people on bicycles to use one.

Police are looking for the driver of what witnesses described only as a sedan, which would likely have some front end damage. That doesn’t exactly give them a lot to go on.

As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.

Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD South Traffic Detective Ryan Moreno at 323/421-2500, or the South Traffic Watch Commander at 323/421-2577 or 1-877/527-3247.

This is at least the third bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the first in the City of Los Angeles.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , ,

40-year old bike rider Alex Zavala died two months after October hit-and-run; 20th fatal SoCal bike hit-and-run last year

January 15, 2024 / / Comments Off on 40-year old bike rider Alex Zavala died two months after October hit-and-run; 20th fatal SoCal bike hit-and-run last year

This may be one of the saddest stories I’ve seen.

Late last month a crowdfunding campaign was posted online to help pay the funeral expenses for 40-year old Vladimir Zavala, who went by the name of Alex.

The page said Alex Zavala had died weeks after he was the victim of a hit-and-run while riding his bicycle.

But there were no details. No date for the crash, no location, no word on whether there was an arrest in the case.

It turns out that was because his family has no idea what happened or where.

According to a story from La Opinion, Zavala worked at a bicycle warehouse — likely meaning a bike co-op — and rode his bike everywhere, even spurning the car his mom bought for him.

But when Zavala didn’t come home one October night, his family searched for him everywhere, before eventually finding him lying in a coma in the intensive care unit of Los Angeles General Medical Center, suffering from head injuries, a broken his hip and missing his left eye.

His brother had to identify him, because he had come to the hospital with no identification.

It took a month for Alex Zavala to regain consciousness after the crash — then was somehow discharged despite bizarre ranting and speaking incoherently.

Then his mother came home from work one day in late December to find Zavala convulsing and bleeding from the ear; he died from a brain hemorrhage on December 20th.

If that was the end of it, that would be bad enough.

But the tragedy has been compounded because his family can’t conduct a funeral or bury Alex Zavala because they haven’t been able to get a death certificate, because the Medical Examiner’s office says they’re too backed up.

But I’m sure they’ll get around to it eventually.

To make matters even worse, the crowdfunding account was hacked, leaving Alex Zavala’s mother $25,000 in debt for his funeral expenses and burial plot.

A new crowdfunding campaign currently stands at a little more than $7,000 of the modest $8,500 goal. If you have a few extra bucks lying around, I can’t think of a better cause.

This was at least the 74th bicycling fatality in Southern California last year, and the 34th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it may or may not have occurred in the City of Los Angeles.

At least 20 of those SoCal deaths have been at the hands of hit-and-run drivers.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Alex Zavala and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Dr. Nina Harawa for the heads-up.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: Man killed riding bicycle in Lennox hit-and-run last week; 1st confirmed SoCal bike death this year

January 14, 2024 / / 2 comments

So it begins.

A man riding a bicycle was killed in a hit-and-run in the unincorporated Lennox community of Los Angeles County last week.

Yet the only mention of the crash comes from a pair of legal websites, based on a CHP alert that’s not online anymore.

According to the sites, the victim was struck by a driver around 11:41 pm last Wednesday, January 10th, at the intersection of Hawthorne and Lennox boulevards.

The victim, described only as a man who appeared to around 40 years old, died at the scene.

The driver fled following the crash. The suspect vehicle was described as red Dodge Ram pickup truck; there’s no description of the driver at this time.

This is the first confirmed bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

It’s also the first fatal hit-and-run of the year.

Let’s hope the local media reports the next one, since they didn’t this time.

Update: The victim has been identified as 51-year old Cesar Hernandez. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Cesar Hernandez and his loved ones. 

 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

Update: Beloved Australian teacher killed riding ebike in Marina del Rey collision; death confirmed by victim’s family

December 12, 2023 / / 3 comments

I could just cry.

Yesterday, I posted a photo by Ian Dutton depicting the aftermath of a bicycling collision in Marina del Rey on Friday, (although I somehow mistakenly called it Santa Monica).

I added that I hoped the victim was okay, and linked to a TikTok video from the scene, in which the person who posted it prayed the victim would survive.

Sadly, our prayers weren’t answered.

In a comment to that post, Libby Starling, who identified herself as the victim’s sister-in-law, revealed that he didn’t make it.

The cyclist in the photo from Friday’s crash in Marina del Rey was my brother-in-law, Leland Dutcher, from Manhattan Beach. As you might anticipate from the damage to the windshield, he did not survive the impact. As you add him to your list of bicycle fatalities in Southern California, know that the world lost a great soul with his death.

I’m told by Streetsblog’s Joe Linton that the cash occurred where the beachfront Marvin Braude Bike Trail crosses Admiralty Way.

Right now, there’s no word on what time of day it happened, or why.

All we know from the photo — which I am not reposting here, since his loved ones are likely to see this — is that Dutcher’s white ebike came to rest in the right lane of what appears to be eastbound Admiralty Way, several yards in front of a stopped car with a smashed windshield, while firefighters tended to Dutcher in the middle of the roadway.

Hopefully, we’ll learn more soon.

This is at least the 68th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 33rd that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

And as Starling notes, we’ve lost a great soul, which is a tragedy for us all.

Update: An Australian news site offers more information about Leland Dutcher, describing him as a beloved teacher at an Adelaide college. He was here on leave from the school, and working as a content partner manager in Manhattan Beach.

Sadly, his father says he had just posted photos showing him riding along the beach the same day he was killed.

Update 2: I’m told the photo was taken around 2:15 pm Friday, which puts the crash sometime around 2 pm to 2:15 pm. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Leland Dutcher and all his loved ones. 

Thanks to Joe Linton, Libby Starling and David Drexler for the heads-up.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,
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