Ghost bike for Compton victim Pete; photo by Danny Gamboa
Let’s start with the bad news.
No details yet, but I’ve received confirmation that a bike rider was killed in Compton Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
As if the photo that’s circulating online wasn’t confirmation enough. And no, I’m not going to share it here.
According to the reports, he was killed while riding his bike at Compton Blvd and North Dwight Ave. Friends of the victim, who identified him only as Pete, confirm that he was hit by a car sometime before 5 am Wednesday morning and died at the scene; the driver remained at the scene following the collision.
Judging by the photo of the victim, he appears to be a bearded white male with grey hair, possibly in his 50s or 60s.
No other information is available at this time.
This is the 7th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, as we maintain the horrific every-other-day pace since the first of the year. And it is the third cycling death in LA County this year, which suffered an intolerable 39 bike-related deaths in 2013.
My prayers and sympathy for the victim and his loved ones.
Thanks to Danny Gamboa for the heads-up.
Update: I didn’t recognize the corner, but Gamboa points out it’s the same intersection where Ovidio Morales was killed in a still-unsoved hit-and-run in 2010; his ghost bike is still there across the intersection.
He reports one of the victim’s friends said he was a good man who struggled with alcohol, and was in and out of treatment programs.
As the photo suggests, neighbors have placed candles in his memory.
………
Gamboa also forwards word that an arrest has been made in the hit-and-run death of a Panarama City man, who has not been publicly identified at the request of the man’s family.
According to a press release from the LAPD,
Fatal Hit And Run Driver taken into custody
On January 13, 2014 at 6 PM Valley Traffic Division Detectives arrested a 46-year old male, Rene Amaya of Panarama City on suspicion of the felony hit and run (20001(a)VC) death of a bicyclist, which occurred on December 23, 2013, at the intersection of Burnet Ave and Lanark St in the Community of Panarama City, California. Bail was set at $50,000.
Maybe someone can explain to me why we continue to grant such a low bail to someone who has already demonstrated a willingness to flee after taking a life.
