You’ve got to be kidding.
A man riding a bicycle was killed by an armed robber fleeing from police in Camarillo on Saturday — something which could reasonably be expected to result in a murder charge.
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.
Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies began chasing the alleged robber, identified as 21-year-old Makare Toliver of Lancaster, and his partner after they reportedly stole a gun from a man at the Good Nite Inn on Ventura Boulevard.
Toliver initially yielded to the cops after pausing at a gas station, before taking off again and running down the victim as he rode on Central Ave between Beardsley Road and Santa Clara Ave.
The victim, later identified as 58-year old Ventura resident Robert Pierret, died after being taken to a local hospital.
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.
He pled not guilty Tuesday to all charges.
The other man, also from Lancaster, was released on bail without formal charges.
This is at least the 31st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware this year in Ventura County.
Eleven of those deaths have been hit-and-runs.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Robert Pierret and his loved ones.
