As long as we’re doing this tonight, we can add another name to the list.
About a few days ago, I learned that a man had died after he was hit by a driver while riding a bicycle in Encinitas.
According to The Coast News, 45-year old Encinitas resident Marcos Perez Domingo was struck while riding at Encinitas Blvd and Valley Park Way around 6 pm on January 1st.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding in the bike lane on Camino Del Sur at Casey Glen around 6:50 pm Saturday, when a 50-year old woman headed west on Camino Del Sur drove into the bike lane shortly after crossing Casey Glen.
He died at the scene.
Police say alcohol was not a factor in the crash. However, there’s no word on why the driver went into the bike lane, whether she was distracted, or how fast she was going at the time of the crash.
Anyone with information is urged to call the San Diego Police Department at 858/495-7800, or cal Crime Stoppers at 888/580-8477.
This is at least the 53rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 12th that I’m aware of in San Diego County; it’s also the eighth in just the last 18 days.
Sheriff’s deputies found the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, on the 1900 block of Jimmy Durante Blvd, just after 10 am.
He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
There’s no word on how long he may have been there before he was discovered.
Investigators say he appears to have lost control of his bicycle, and wasn’t involved in a collision.
However, there’s no word on why he may have lost control. It’s possible he could have struck a pothole or some sort of obstacle while riding at speed, lost a tire, or been the victim of a too-close pass — which would make it hit-and-run.
There’s also no word on whether he had a cycling computer or Strava account that could shed some light on what happened. So unless investigators find a witness or video of the crash, we may never know the cause.
Anyone with information is urged to call the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station Traffic Division at 760/966-3555.
This is at least the 43rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 11th that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
Update: Longtime San Diego bike advocate Serge Issakov has forwarded a video with a possible explanation for the crash.
Issakov reports the site is at the bottom of a descent with a typical 4% grade, where road bicyclists typically reach speeds of 26 to 30 mph, while a KOM could be somewhere in the 40 mph range.
The typical car-ticker plastic bollards show clear signs of being run over more than once, and would likely have been virtually invisible under the typical Del Mar morning marine layer. Let alone if there was any fog or haze in the morning hour.
But even without hitting the post, cracks visible in the pavement could have easily destabilized the victim. Which could have been enough to send him into the curb or the grate in the gutter, and onto the sidewalk.
And at those speeds, it might not have mattered whether he was wearing a helmet.
All I can say, after watching that video, is I hope the victim’s family has a good lawyer.
September 21, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on 70-year old man riding bicycle killed by 92-year old driver in San Diego collision, 10th San Diego County bike death this year
Enough, already.
For the third time in just the last five days, someone has been killed riding a bicycle in Southern California.
And this time, it’s clear there was nothing victim could have done to avoid it.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding east on Evergreen Street at Cañon Street around 2:38 pm, when the woman turned left into his path. He hit her right rear door, and died after being taken to a local hospital.
The driver remained at the scene and was not injured.
A crash like this should raise the issue of how old is too old to drive. But sadly, it probably won’t.
Anyone with more information is urged to call the San Diego Police Department at 888/580-8477.
This is at least the 39th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the tenth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
The 33-year old driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators; there’s no word on whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.
There’s also no word on how the crash occurred, though given the location, it’s likely the victim was struck with the massive truck at highway speed.
This is at least the 30th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of already this year in San Diego County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
July 6, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on 52-year old man killed riding bicycle in Lakeside collision; 8th San Diego County bike death already this year
It’s been a bad first half of year for bicyclists in San Diego County.
The victim, identified only as a 52-year old man, was crossing SR-67 on his bike, traveling west across the southbound lanes when he was struck by a 31-year old Lakeside man driving a small Chevrolet SUV.
The driver remained following the crash, and police do not believe he was under the influence. However, there’s no explanation offered for why he was unable to avoid the victim as he crossed the road.
Hopefully, that will be explained going forward.
Anyone with information is urged to call Lakeside Police Officer Jared Grieshaber at 619/401-2000
This is at least the 27th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of already this year in San Diego County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
There’s no word on whether the driver was ticketed or charged. And as with other similar cases, there’s no information on why Fields was riding on the freeway.
This is at least the 21st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
I have the answer why the deceased was riding on the freeway shoulder. The section of I805 from Main St to Palm Ave is marked with signage allowing bicycles. Or at least it was, I haven’t been that way in a while. The reason is that there is no way to bike from Chula Vista to South San Diego without using the 805 without going way around. The toll road 125 is similarly marked.
I preferred the north bound side as it was relatively safer. The south bound exit at Palm is a typically chaotic, car centric CALTRANS design seemingly designed to imperil cyclists and pedestrians regardless of whether they’re on the ramp or not.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Victor Keith Fields and all his loved ones.
Unfortunately, there’s no word on how or when the crash occurred. His mother was informed by police around 10 am on the morning of the crash.
His family gathered around Edgar’s bed on Wednesday to celebrate his birthday — a day after he was rushed into surgery, and one day before he was declared brain dead.
They gathered again yesterday to celebrate Edgar’s high school graduation, before his body was wheeled into an operating room to donate his organs.
Too often, we never hear what happens after a victim is hospitalized following a crash.
The rare times we do, the news usually isn’t good.
That’s was the case today, when we learned an Oceanside man died nearly a month after he was hit by a driver in a pre-dawn crash.
According to a report from City News Service, 56-year old Oceanside resident Kevin Cerv died on Friday, 24 days after he hospitalized with severe head and neck trauma.
There’s no description of how the crash occurred, or which way Cerv was riding. There’s also no word on whether the driver, who has not been identified, was ticketed or charged, or if the crash is still being investigated.
Nor is there any reason at this time to believe that the type of bike he was riding contributed to the crash.
This is at least the 18th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in San Diego County. It’s also the second bicycling death in Oceanside in less than two months.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Kevin Cerv and all his loved ones.
March 22, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on 51-year old mother of two dies in hospital after Oceanside hit-and-run; 2nd North San Diego County bike death this week
St. Patrick’s Day was anything but lucky in San Diego’s North County this year.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the victim, identified as 51-year old Oceanside resident Tracey Gross, was declared brain dead after being flown to Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla.
Gross was riding home on her bicycle on westbound SR-76 near Singh Way when she was struck by a driver, who fled the scene.
She was found lying in the roadway by passing motorists around 11:35 pm, suffering from severe injuries. Her bicycle was found over two miles away at SR-76 and College Boulevard, apparently dragged there by the fleeing driver.
Surgeons plan to harvest her organs tomorrow to be donated to people on the transplant list, following her wishes.
Gross had worked as postal carrier walking a mail route in Oceanside for the past decade; there’s no word on why she would have been working so late on a Sunday.
Family members say they weren’t notified until nearly noon the next day, despite having both her driver’s license and postal employee ID card on her at the time of the crash.
Oceanside police are looking for the driver of what they suspect is a silver 2013 to 2015 Kia Optima, with damage to the right front bumper and headlight, and parts of the bottom engine cover missing. The damage suggests Gross may have been rear-ended as she rode on the right side of the roadway.
Police suspect the driver lives in the Oceanside area, near the site of the collision. There’s a high probability that he or she may have been under the influence, since the crash occurred late on St. Patrick’s Day.
Gross leaves behind her two adult children, aged 28 and 22, as well as her mother, who flew in from her home in Reno, Nevada to be with her in the hospital.
Her mother described her as an amazing, strong and brave woman, who always stood on her own two feet and loved her family and children deeply.
Anyone with information is urged to call Officer Jose Gomez of the Oceanside Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team at 760/435-4952, or email at jjgomez@oceansideca.org.
This is at least the 11th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Tracey Gross and all her family and loved ones.
