Tag Archive for San Bernardino County

37-year old man killed riding bike in Chino collision

February 2, 2020 / / One comment

More bad news, in what has been a rough start to the new year.

According to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, a man was killed in a collision while riding his bike in Chino.

The victim, identified only as a 37-year old Pomona resident, was struck by a driver while riding in the 5100 block of Philadelphia Street near Bridger Ave around 7:24 pm Saturday.

He was transported to Chino Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver remained at the scene following the crash.

The crash remains under investigation, and there’s no word on how the crash may have occurred.

A street view shows a two lane road on the 5100 block of Philadelphia, with a center turn lane and bike lanes on either side, expanding to four lanes on the next block east.

This is at least the sixth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 37-year old Pomona resident Arthur Joe Gutierrez III.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Arthur Joe Gutierrez III and all his loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

87-year old Andres Moreno killed while riding bike in San Bernardino collision Monday; 80-year old driver not charged

December 28, 2019 / / 2 comments

This month just keeps getting worse.

Somehow, we missed the news that an 87-year old man was killed while riding his bike in San Bernardino on Monday.

According to the San Bernardino Sun, the victim was critically injured while allegedly crossing an intersection against a red light at 4:16 Monday afternoon.

The victim, later identified as 87-year old San Bernardino resident Andres Moreno, was reportedly riding south on Crestview Avenue at Baseline Street when he was struck by an 80-year old driver heading west on Baseline.

He was taken to a local hospital, where he died sometime later.

Reports indicate Moreno was riding through cross traffic when he was hit in the left lane on the four lane street; the driver claims he didn’t see him before the crash.

As always, the question is whether there were independent witnesses other than the driver who saw which direction had the right-of-way, or if there actually were other cars in the intersection.

It simply doesn’t make sense that an 87-year old man would blow a red light, especially with cross traffic flowing through the intersection, unless he was unable to stop for some reason.

But chances are, we’ll never know why this crash occurred, or if it really happened the way it’s been described.

Anyone with information is urged to call San Bernardino Police Detective Dan Costa or Sgt. Jeff Harvey at 909/384-5792.

This is at least the 77th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

Moreno is also the ninth SoCal bike rider to be killed this month, and the second this week, both on Monday.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Andres Moreno and all his loved ones.

 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: Bicyclist killed in Hesperia crash Tuesday evening; 8th SoCal bike death in ten days

December 18, 2019 / / One comment

Then there were eight.

Eight people killed riding their bicycles in Southern California in just ten days.

Eight families who won’t have a happy holiday, now and most likely for years to come.

According to the Victorville Daily News, the latest came in Hesperia Tuesday evening.

A man was riding his bike at Seventh Avenue and Cactus Street when he was struck by a driver around 6:28 pm, and pronounced dead at the scene.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know at this time. There’s no information yet about the victim, or how the crash might have occurred.

A street view shows a wide open two lane road with sand-covered shoulders on Seventh, intersected by a narrow paved street to the west and a dirt road to the right.

No speed limit sign as visible, but multiple signs call on drivers to give bicyclists a three-foot passing distance.

This is at least the 75th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

Update: The Victor Valley News has identified the victim as 50-year old Hesperia resident Armando Salinas. 

The paper reports he was killed in a hit-and-run by the driver of a pickup traveling south on Seventh. Paramedics found his body lying in the southbound lane just below Cactus Street. 

Anyone with information is urged to call Deputy D. Whitson or Deputy D. Caudle at the Hesperia Sheriff’s station at 760/947-1500.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the Armando Salinas and all his loved ones. 

And let’s all pray this tragic streak stops now. 

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

Update: Man riding bike home killed by alleged drunken hit-and-run driver in Ontario

August 1, 2019 / / 2 comments

Once again, an innocent person has been murdered by a cowardly hit-and-run driver.

A driver who somehow couldn’t manage to avoid getting behind the wheel after drinking, with predictable results.

Allegedly, of course.

But at least this time, the killer was caught a short time later, and not far away.

According to the Fontana Herald News, the victim was riding west on Mission Blvd near Baker Ave in Ontario, just south of the airport, when he was run down sometime early Wednesday morning.

He was found on the shoulder of the road by a passerby, who called police at 1:10 am; no word on how long he’d been there before being discovered.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the paper, he was on his way home, riding west on Mission, when he was somehow struck by a cowardly hit-and-run driver, who left him there to die.

Nearly an hour and a half later, police received a report of a suspicious vehicle less than a block away in a parking lot at 1320 S. Baker Ave.

They found it had major front end damage matching the evidence at the crash scene, while the driver, 31-year old Ontario resident Julio Tapia, was still inside with minor head and face injuries.

He was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI, hit-and-run, and gross vehicular manslaughter.

If there was any real justice, he’d be charged with second degree murder for making a conscious decision to leave the victim of his hit-and-run to die there in the street, rather than calling for help as the law and basic human decency demands.

Assuming he was actually capable of making a decision, and wasn’t so drunk he had no idea what the hell just happened.

He’s being held on a quarter-million dollar bond pending arraignment on Friday.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Ontario Police Department at 909/986-6711 or Officer Brandon Resendez at 909/408-1805.

This is at least the 42nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 22-year old Pomona resident Thomas Shane Pinto.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Thomas Shane Pinto and his loved ones.

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

Riverside bike rider killed by speeding drunk — or maybe stoned — driver in Rialto

June 13, 2019 / / 5 comments

Let’s call it what it is.

Murder.

Maybe that’s not what the law says. Or what the DA will charge.

But when death is the entirely foreseeable consequence of getting loaded and speeding down a busy roadway, that what it is.

It’s no different than if the driver had fired a gun down the street, then was surprised to learn he actually hit someone.

In effect, that’s what happened in Rialto Tuesday evening, when an intoxicated high-speed driver ran down a man on a bike.

According to KTLA-5, a 34-year old Riverside man was was riding his bike west on Rialto’s Industrial Drive at North Riverside Ave around 6:52 pm when a driver headed north on Riverside slammed into his bike.

The victim, who was not publicly named, was lying dead in the roadway when police and paramedics arrived at the scene.

Both the driver and his passenger were taken to a local hospital and treated for minor injuries. Thirty-two-year old Hesperia resident John Godinez was booked on a DUI charge upon his release.

Hopefully additional — and more serious — charges will be added later.

Anyone with information is urged to call Rialto police at 909/820-2550.

This is at least the 34th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

Update: A commenter below has identified the victim as 34-year old Justin Vaughan.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Justin Vaughan and all his loved ones.

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

Man lying in street next to bike killed in Redlands crash

May 15, 2019 / / 11 comments

Just in time for this year’s Ride of Silence, yet another person has died while riding or walking a bicycle, this time in Redlands.

According to the Redlands Daily Facts, a man was killed when he was struck by a driver while lying in the roadway next to a bicycle.

The 21-year old driver was returning home from work around 2:30 am Tuesday when she spotted the victim lying in the southbound lane of Orange Street north of Pioneer Avenue in Redlands, but was unable to swerve in time to avoid him.

The victim, publicly identified only as a 31-year old transient, was declared dead at the site.

The driver remained at the scene, and was not suspected of being under the influence.

There’s no word on why the victim was in the street, or if he had been riding or walking his bike.

It’s possible that he may have fallen off his bicycle for some reason, or he could have been the victim of a prior hit-and-run.

The speed limit on that section of Orange was either 40 mph or 45 mph, depending on which side of Pioneer the crash was on despite being in a residential neighborhood.

Either way, an impact at those speeds is unlikely to be survivable.

This is at least the 28th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

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

………

Because of tonight’s breaking news stories, there will be no Morning Links today. We’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we’ve missed.

If you’d like to remember the victims of this week’s crashes, or any of the other bike riders so needlessly lost to traffic violence over the past year, there will be Rides of Silence in Redding, Fullerton and Orange, as well as in Los Angeles and at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and throughout Southern California.

 

 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Eleven-year old boy dies after falling off his bicycle; second Fontana child killed in three weeks

April 1, 2019 / / One comment

Just heartbreaking.

For the second time in just three weeks, a Fontana boy has died after falling off his bike.

And this time, no cars or drivers were involved.

According to a news release from the Fontana Police Department, a group of boys were riding their bike together at an apartment complex on the 9200 block of Citrus Ave around 3 pm Sunday.

An 11-year old boy somehow touched wheels with the eight-year old riding ahead of him, and fell off his bike after crashing into his handlebars.

His mother tried to drive him to the emergency room, but stopped to call for help along the way. Paramedics arrived to provide care and take the boy the rest of the way to a Fontana hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

No ID has been been provided for the victim.

Police note that neither child was wearing a helmet, despite California law requiring a bike helmet for any child under 18. However, they added that it did not appear to be a factor in this crash, suggesting that he did not die from a head injury.

This is at least the 17th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

He’s also the second child to die in Fontana after falling off his bike in the last three weeks; a 13-year old boy was killed after allegedly falling in front of an oncoming car last month.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the vicitm and all his family and loved ones.

Thanks to John Damman for the heads-up.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

19-year old Team California cyclist Tate Meintjes killed Tuesday while training for Redlands Classic

March 13, 2019 / / 2 comments

Once again, a competitive cyclist has been killed in a training collision.

And this time, it’s in our own back yard.

According to the Redlands Classic, 19-year old Team California rider Tate Meintjes was killed in a collision while previewing the course for today’s time trial.

Meintjes was riding with his teammates on Sand Canyon Road, just east of Crafton Avenue above Redlands, at 10:52 yesterday morning when the driver of the car he was following made a sudden U-turn directly in front of him.

He was unable to stop in time, slamming into the car and smashing through a window. An emergency room physician happened to be riding nearby, and came to Meintjes aid shortly after the crash.

He was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The Reno-based racer had begun his career in mountain biking, before making the jump to road racing last year. Meintjes rode with the U-23 Bear Development Team in 2018, switching to Team California this year.

His Twitter account shows a typical young man enjoying the bicycling lifestyle; the last post was dated just two weeks before he died.

The race will go on today at the urging of his parents; the Redlands Classic will use the hashtag #RideForTate in his honor throughout this year’s race.

This is at least the 12th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third I’m aware of in San Bernardino County; it’s also the second in just two days in the county.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for TateMeintjes and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Eric Lewis for the heads-up.

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

Fontana boy killed in crash after allegedly falling off his bicycle

March 12, 2019 / / 3 comments

A 13-year old boy was killed in a Fontana crash yesterday afternoon.

According to the Fontana Herald News, the victim was riding against traffic in the eastbound lane of Merrill Ave in Fontana, east of Hemlock Ave, just before 1 pm when he allegedly fell in front of an oncoming driver.

The driver attempted to swerve, but struck him with the right rear of her car.

He was taken to Loma Linda University Hospital with head trauma, where he was pronounced dead 45 minutes later.

He has not been publicly identified.

There’s no mention of whether he was wearing a helmet, as required by law for anyone under 18. In this case, it may matter since he apparently died of a head injury.

The driver stayed at the scene. No word on how fast she was going.

A street view shows a narrow two-lane roadway with a dirt shoulder on the eastbound side.

This is at least the eleventh bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

Somehow, it always seems sadder when the victim is a child.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all her loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

Update: San Bernardino man killed while riding bike in Highland hit-and-run

January 22, 2019 / / One comment

Now we have a little more information about yesterday’s fatal bike crash in Highland.

The Highland Community News is reporting that sheriff’s deputies received a call of a someone lying in the street around 8:30 pm Monday.

Deputies responded to the intersection of Sterling Avenue and Ninth Street, where they found the victim. They determined he’d been riding his bike when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver headed south on Sterling.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The San Bernardino Sun identifies the victim as 54-year old San Bernardino resident Dereck Alexander.

In a story that’s not online yet, KCBS-2 reports Alexander was a cancer survivor who’d fought for his life after having an ear and part of his skull removed.

A street view of the Highland itersection shows a four lane roadway with center turn lane on Sterling, with one general lane and a bike lane in each direction on Ninth; the intersection is controlled by a traffic signal in every direction.

Without witnesses, there’s no way to know who may have had the right-of-way at the time of the crash.

Anyone with information is urged to call San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies at 909/425-9793.

When the driver is caught, he or she should face a murder charge for making a conscious decision to let Alexander die in the street.

This is at least the fourth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

Update: That heartbreaking KCBS-2/KCAL-9 story is now online.

According to the report, Alexander was wearing a hi-viz vest while riding home on Sterling Ave. Yet the driver apparently didn’t see him, and never bothered to stop.

His niece called his killer “heartless,” as the family struggles to understand how anyone could just leave him like that — just like the loved ones of virtually any victim of hit-and-run.

And who can blame her? That’s about the mildest term I would use.

But perhaps most heartbreaking of all is the image of his dog by the gate, waiting for an owner who will never come home.

A GoFundMe account to help pay his funeral expenses has raised $125 of the $8,000 goal in the first several hours.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Dereck Alexander and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Erik Griswold and Jeff Vaughn for the heads-up.

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