Tag Archive for Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley is killing its bike riders — 2nd cycling fatal cycling collision on same day

September 17, 2013 / / 3 comments

Last Thursday was a very bad day for Moreno Valley bike riders.

In addition to the death of Tracey Gage on Perris Blvd, news is just breaking that another rider has died from injuries suffered in a collision just four miles — and four hours — apart.

In a typically crappy cryptic news story that didn’t even get the name of the victim right, the Press-Enterprise reports that a cyclist was injured in a collision on Moreno Beach Drive near John F. Kennedy Drive; the victim died Saturday evening at Riverside County Regional Medical Center.

The Riverside County Coroner’s office identifies the victim as 63-year old John Nodd of Moreno Valley, and says he was struck by a sedan. They identify the site of the collision as just five feet from Moreno Beach Drive, placing it in or near the crosswalk.

A satellite view shows a six lane roadway with bike lanes on each side on Moreno Beach, and two lanes with a bike lane and turn lanes on Kennedy.

No other information is available at this time.

This is the 67th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth in Riverside County. It’s also the fifth cycling death in Moreno Valley in just over two years, suggesting something is seriously wrong in the city of less than 200,000.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for John Nodd and all his loved ones.

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

Cyclist killed in Moreno Valley collision; 4th bike death in city in just over two years

September 13, 2013 / / 10 comments

You knew it wouldn’t last.

After going nearly two weeks since the last fatal bicycling collision in Southern California, a bike rider was killed in Moreno Valley yesterday.

According to the Press-Enterprise, 56-year old Moreno Valley resident Tracey Gage was riding north on Perris Blvd between Krameria Ave and Northern Dancer Drive when his bike was rear-ended by a car around 3:40 pm; KESQ-3 places the exact time at 3:44 pm.

Gage was struck by a blue Toyota Corolla driven by 19-year old Steven Gomez of Perris. He was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering major injuries.

The street view shows an unobstructed four lane roadway with limited space to the right of traffic, and a 50 mph speed limit. At that speed, a collision is unlikely to be survivable.

Drug or alcohol use does not appear to have been factor. However, that raises the question of why the driver was unable to see a bike rider directly in front of him in full daylight.

Anyone with information is urged to call the  Moreno Valley Police Department Traffic Division at 951-486-6900.

This is the 65th fatal bicycling collision in Southern California this year, and the eight in Riverside County; that compares to 53 and 9, respectively, for this time last year. And it is the 4th bike death in Moreno Valley in the last 26 months.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Tracey Gage, and all his family and loved ones.

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

Teenage Moreno Valley cyclist killed Monday

August 22, 2012 / / One comment

Somehow I missed this story yesterday; thankfully, Witch on a Bicycle didn’t.

The Press-Enterprise and Southwest Riverside News Network report that a 16-year old cyclist was killed in Moreno Valley earlier this week.

According to the SRNN, Moreno Valley resident Stephen Espinoza was hit by a van while riding at the intersection of Graham Street and Zoe Drive around 2:30 pm Monday; the Press-Enterprise reports that he hit the van, instead.

He suffered severe head injuries, and was pronounced dead at the scene. As usual, the driver was uninjured.

No word on how the collision occurred.

This is the 48th cycling fatality in Southern California so far this year, and the ninth in Riverside County; that compares with 12 bike fatalities in the county last year.

My prayers and sympathy for Espinoza and his family and loved ones.

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

74-year old cyclist killed in Moreno Valley; fifth SoCal cycling fatality in two weeks

October 3, 2011 / / One comment

Please, not again.

For the second time in less than a week, a cyclist in his 70s has been killed on the streets of Southern California. And the fifth area cyclist to die in the last two weeks, after going over three weeks without a single fatality — four in traffic incidents and one by shooting.

According in the Southwest Riverside News Network, as well as a other sources which published identical stories, 74-year old Vernon Slade of Moreno Valley was killed early Sunday morning when he was hit by a truck on the 13100 block of Heacock Street.

Detail are sparse.

The collision was reported at 3:27 am, and Slade was pronounced dead at Riverside county Medical Center at 3:56 am. The driver who hit him was traveling north on Heacock Street in a Dodge Ram truck; no information on where Slade was positioned on the roadway or if he was using lights, or anything else that might help make sense of his death.

The story reports that the driver of the truck was cooperative. And not surprisingly, was not injured in the collision.

Slade represents the 56th traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California since the start of the year — one more than the annual total for the last two years on record. He is also the 10th cyclist killed in Riverside County, and the second in Moreno Valley; that number matches the annual average for the county.

And it’s only October.

Another seven cyclists have died in shootings since the first of the year, one in San Diego and six in L.A. County.

My deepest sympathy for Slade’s family and loved ones.

And thanks to Rex Reese and an anonymous source for the links.

……..

A few other quick notes.

The bike rider killed in the shooting in Long Beach on Saturday night has been identified as 29-year old Reynard Lionell Fulton of Palmdale.

Sam Ollinger of Bike San Diego offers more information about the dooring death of Justin Newman.

KPCC remembers extended station family member, and fallen cyclist, Alan Deane. Meanwhile, the recent deaths have Pasadena officials concerned; I should certainly hope so. Although a Whittier writer says it’s still safe to ride in the L.A. area, despite recent events.

……..

Come back later for a little good news, for a change, as my dog sled racing big brother offers his perspective on taking up cycling many decades after he set his bike aside at 16.

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

Update: Another biking fatality in Moreno Valley last week; no ID for Rancho Mirage victim

July 25, 2011 / / Comments Off on Update: Another biking fatality in Moreno Valley last week; no ID for Rancho Mirage victim

Somehow, this went under the radar over the weekend.

According to KTLA, 57-year old Jose Garcia-Espinosa of Moreno Valley was killed in a collision with a motor home on Saturday, July 22nd.

Garcia-Espinosa was riding on Cactus Avenue near the intersection with Lasselle Street when he was struck from behind after Joseph Gerald Edgerson of Moreno Valley lost control of his vehicle, which went on to strike a utility pole. Edgerson was reportedly incoherent following the collision and was taken to a local hospital in critical condition; KTLA reports he may have suffered a seizure.

A story by the Press-Enterprise suggests that Garcia-Espinosa may have been struck some distance from the final crash site, noting that he was found lying on the side of the road at 10:48 am. He was pronounced dead at Riverside County Regional Medical Center at 11:11 am.

This is the 42nd confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 7th in Riverside County.

Thanks to Dj Wheels and an anonymous source for the heads-up.

……..

Still no public identification for the cyclist killed in Rancho Mirage on Saturday night. The 41-year old Hispanic man was riding against  traffic when he was hit.

I’m told that bike riders in some parts of Mexico and Central America are often taught to ride against traffic, and bring that habit with them when they ride the more heavily traveled roads of this country.

Sometimes with tragic results.

I can’t say that’s what happened here, though the delay in contacting his next-of-kin suggests that they may not be in this country.


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