October 24, 2023 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Update: 65-year old man riding bike killed in Willowbrook hit-and-run; victim dragged a mile under van in possible murder
As if that was gruesome enough, witnesses report the crash appeared to be intentional, as well.
The victim was riding on Broadway at 117th around 9:15 Tuesday morning when he was struck by the driver of an older van; security cam video shows the driver continuing south on Broadway without slowing down.
KABC reports the victim’s mangled bicycle was found at the scene, and his shoes were strewn about on the street outside of Bo’s Mini Market at the initial point of impact.
A police spokesperson would not confirm that this is being treated as a murder investigation, saying only that they need to speak to the suspect first. Because of course he’ll just admit to doing it intentionally.
Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD at 877-LAPD-247. As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.
This is at least the 46th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, the 12th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County, and the seventh in the City of Los Angeles. It’s also the 16th time someone riding a bicycle has been killed in a hit-and-run since the first of the year.
And it’s the third time a person in SoCal has apparently been run down intentionally while riding a bicycle, after bike riders were murdered in Dana Point and Huntington Beach earlier this year.
A Hollywood producer is dead, apparently because Los Angeles refused to remove parking to build a damn bike lane.
For three days, we’ve been searching for confirmation of a bicycling fatality in East Hollywood, since word first surfaced late Tuesday. Friday it came, not from the traditional media, but from the Hollywood trade publications.
Jones told The Hollywood Reporter that George, who reportedly rode his bike everywhere, was doored by the driver of a parked car as he rode in a bike lane. then immediately struck by the driver of an oncoming car.
The reports I received indicated the fatal crash occurred Tuesday at Fountain Ave and North Edgemont Street, next to the Church of Scientology complex on Sunset Blvd. That appears to be in East Hollywood, but it could be considered Silver Lake.
If the city had removed the parking from either side, they could have installed protected bike lanes in both directions, instead of a single door zone bike lane.
That decision apparently cost Bob George his life.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Peoria, Illinois native began his career as production accountant on big-budget films, including Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, The Sum of All Fears, The Lone Ranger and three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, before moving up to producing.
He was a production consultant on Divergent (2014) before producing his first feature, Scott Free’s Newness (2017). Starring Nicholas Hoult and Laia Costa and written by Jones, it premiered at Sundance and was acquired by Netflix.
He reunited with Doremus on the Ewan McGregor and Léa Seydoux-starringZoe(2018), which bowed at Tribeca and was picked up by Amazon, andEndings, Beginnings (2019), a Toronto title that starred Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan and Sebastian Stan and was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
George was currently working with Jones on Aurora, another Doremus film, as well as serving as a production consultant on the upcoming Brad Furman action thriller Tin Soldier, starring Jamie Foxx and Robert De Niro.
He is survived by his wife, artist Yasmine Nasser Diaz, as well as his sister.
This is at least the 45th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, the 11th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County, and the sixth in the City of Los Angeles, although there are probably more we haven’t learned about.
October 15, 2023 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Update: Bicyclist killed illegally riding bicycle on 405 Freeway in Carson, 7th SoCal bike death in last 10 days
Once again, someone has been killed riding a bicycle inexplicably on a SoCal freeway.
The Santa Clarita Valley Signal is reporting that someone was killed while riding a bicycle in Valencia this morning.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was apparently riding on southbound McBean Parkway at Skycrest Circle Drive when they were struck by the driver of a Bud Light semi-truck around 9 am Monday.
The station reports he was riding an ebike, though it’s unclear if that had anything to do with the crash.
The station places the crash at Decoro Drive and McBean Parkway in Santa Clarita, rather than two blocks away at McBean Parkway and Skycrest Circle Drive.
Update 2: I receive the following email from Nina Moskol, of BikeLA chapter Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition, which adds some context to the story.
As of now, there are no particulars that we have received to share regarding the crash, other than the crash location. It could be noted however, that the area where the crash occurred is posted for 45 mph traffic with 3 lanes apiece traveling north and southbound. Named as a parkway, motor and truck traffic are often traveling on it at highway speeds. The parkway is flanked on either side with sidewalk, and oversized sidewalks, referred to here as paseos, which are intended for pedestrians and cyclists to use. Sidewalk riding is legal in this part of the city.
Unfortunately, it looks like the crash occurred in an uncontrolled intersection. This parkway is really hard for pedestrians and cyclists to cross, unless at a signalized crosswalk or via the nearby bike/ped bridge.
The nearest signalized intersections would have been a few tenths of a mile away from Skycrest, where the crash happened, and the only bike/ped bridge is further north of where the crash occurred too, serving a park and elementary school. If he was traveling to school at COC, this bridge would have been in the opposite direction of his intended destination. Regardless of the travel choices to make, the teen cyclist never had a chance against a semi-tractor trailer.
According to the page, Barba was riding his bike to school at the Academy of the Canyons, where he was in his final year of high school.
They describe him this way —
Louie was not just any teenager; he was a beacon of joy, hope, and dreams. A brilliant student, he was adored by his peers, teachers, and every life he touched. Those hallways of the Academy will surely miss his infectious laughter, his unwavering dedication to learning, and his unforgettable presence.
But school was just one facet of Louie’s vibrant life. The great outdoors was his playground. Whether it was skiing down snowy slopes, cycling through mountainous terrains, fishing under the serene sky, or camping under the stars, Louie was happiest when he was amidst nature. And what made these experiences even more precious was the company of his beloved family. Louie leaves behind his mother, Oksana; sister, Ivanna; father, Louie; and stepfather, Chris.
SCVBC is planning on placing a Ghost Bike near the crash site on Monday at or around 7pm.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Louie Alexander Barba and all his family and loved ones.
According to KFI radio, the victim was riding east on Avenue L near 42nd Street West in Quartz Hill when he was rear-ended by a 24-year old driver around 10:50 pm Monday.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
The driver remained at the scene, and was not suspected of being under the influence. He was not charged, even though police could not explain why he struck the victim’s bike.
Anyone with information is urged to call Officer M. Averbeck at the CHP’s Antelope Valley Area office at 661/948-8541, or the CHP Los Angeles Traffic Management Center at 323/259-3200.
This is at least the 32nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
Video from the scene shows what appears to be a fat tire bike in the left lane on Rosecrans less than 100 feet from the intersection, not far from a tent covering the victim.
The station reports it’s not clear whether the driver stayed at the scene.
Hopefully, we’ll learn more soon.
This is at least the 29th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
If the driver did flee after the crash, it would be least the 11th fatal hit-and-run involving a SoCal bike rider this year.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and her loved ones.
There’s no word on just how or where the crash occurred, or why LBPD investigators concluded the driver deliberately struck Cervantes.
Police are looking for the driver of a dark-colored sedan, who fled east on Harding. Unfortunately, there’s no description of the driver, or any other information about the suspect vehicle at this time.
Nor is there any word on a motive for the crash.
Anyone with information is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Donald Collier or Chasen Contreras at 562/570-7244, or anonymously through Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at 800/222-8477.
This is at least the 27th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the third fatal hit-and-run involving someone on a bicycle in Long Beach since the first of the year — and the second just this month.
And it’s at least the tenth fatal hit-and-run involving a SoCal bike rider this year.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Leobardo Cervantes and all his loved ones.
A 76-year old woman riding a tandem bike with her husband was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Long Beach Sunday afternoon.
And police investigators apparently couldn’t hesitate to display their windshield bias.
According to a press release from the Long Beach Police Department, 76-year-old Long Beach resident Gaylin Reese and her husband were riding their tandem in the bike lane on eastbound on 2nd Street near Marina Drive when they allegedly sideswiped a car around 12:24 pm Sunday.
Police report there was heavy traffic at the time, and all the cars were stopped when they somehow a) left the bike lane, and b) hit the side of the car with enough force to knock both riders off their bike.
Sure, that seems likely.
Both victims were taken to the hospital, where Reese died on or before Tuesday; her husband, who hasn’t been named, was treated for minor injuries.
Investigators are also quick to absolve the driver of any responsibility for the collision, observing that they may not have even been aware of the crash. Which is certainly what their lawyer will claim now, even if the driver is found.
Police also note that both victims were wearing helmets, which clearly didn’t do any good in this case. There’s no word on whether Reese even suffered a head injury, or if she died from other causes.
What seems far more likely than the official police version is that Reese and her husband were riding in the bike lane when the driver became impatient, and tried to pull into the bike lane to get around stalled traffic.
Something we’ve all seen countless times before.
They then hit the Reese’s bike with enough force to knock them both off, resulting in significant injuries to Mrs. Reese.
And unless the suspect vehicle was a large truck, it strains credibility to think the driver would have been unaware of the impact.
Yes, it’s possible that the collision occurred exactly as the LBPD investigators describe it.
It just seems pretty damn unlikely.
Anyone with information is urged to call LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Joseph Johnson at 562/570-7355, or call anonymously at 1-800/222-TIPS (8477).
The victim, described only as a possible minor, died at the scene. The station reports a bicycle was lying on the sidewalk afterwards, next to a tent in the street covering the victim’s body.
Unfortunately, that’s about all we know.
There’s no word on how he may have been killed, or any description of a possible suspect.
Assuming this was a hit-and-run, there is a standing $50,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the driver for any hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.
This is at least the 19th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; four of those have been in the City of Los Angeles.
It’s also the eighth fatal hit-and-run involving a SoCal bike rider this year.
June 1, 2023 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on County completes work to expand beachfront bike path to Palisades, and speed cam pilot passes state Assembly
The proposal would have allowed safe bike access to and from Malibu for beach visitors and tourists alike. Along with the added benefit of allowing bike riders to bypass the dangerously narrow section of PCH leading into Malibu.
Unfortunately, it was killed by opposition from a group of influential LA bike activists who balked at the project’s $30 million price tag, worried the optics of spending that much on a bike path would increase opposition to other bike projects.
Even though the city officials would have sought state and federal grants to pay for it, so it would cost the city little or nothing.
And even though it would take considerably more to build it today, with the price tag increasing with every passing year.
But it would have been done by now. And it would have been wonderful.
Plans for a pedestrian promenade and bikeway on San Diego’s Normal Street have been delayed for eight years in a dispute over a driveway, which has now been condemned by the city.
A Kern County man faces up to ten years behind bars after he was convicted of the drunken hit-and-run that seriously injured two people riding bikes, leaving one with a brain injury; the defense attorney had tried to blame the victims for riding on the roadway without lights or reflectors. Even though neither of them forced the driver to get drunk, or get behind the wheel afterwards.
Residents of Houston’s Third Ward are demanding greater protection from a gang of teenagers who have been terrorizing bike riders on a local trail; five bicyclists have been brutally beaten and robbed in recent weeks, and another victim was shot.
Curbed considers the pitfalls of congestion pricing and how to avoid them, which is addressed to New York’s upcoming congestion pricing program. But it should be required reading for LA Metro and Los Angeles County officials.
A ten-mile bike ride around the National Mall by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and and chief GOP negotiator Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana played a roll in working out a deal with White House officials on raising the national debt limit.
A self-proclaimed liberal London bike rider made headlines for accusing Just Stop Oil activists, who were blocking a street in protest, of “harming the cause” and “fucking it up for all of us.”I’ve long argued that blocking streets may garner headlines, but you don’t win people over to your cause by making their commutes miserable.
