Tag Archive for San Diego County

Man on bike killed in late night Oceanside collision; driver arrested for possible DUI

May 23, 2021 / / 3 comments

Another person riding a bike has lost their life at the hands of an alleged drunk driver.

According to multiple and virtually identical sources, the crash occurred at 1:50 am Saturday just west of Oceanside Boulevard and Beverly Glen Drive in Oceanside, which would have been just as the bars were closing from the night before.

Police respondeding to the crash found a man lying unresponsive on the north side of the road.

Witnesses reported the driver was headed west on Oceanside when he or she slammed into the victim, who has not been publicly identified. That was corroborated by physical evidence.

There’s no word on which direction the victim was traveling or where he was positioned on the roadway. However, there is a bike lane in both directions on Oceanside, with the intersection controlled with a traffic signal.

There’s also no word on whether he had lights on his bike at that hour.

The driver was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence, with police also seizing their car.

Anyone with information is urged to call Oceanside Police Collision Investigator Clint Bussey at 760/435-4412.

This is at least the 26th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

56-year old Robert Bronk died five days after he was struck by driver while bicycling in El Cajon

April 29, 2021 / / Comments Off on 56-year old Robert Bronk died five days after he was struck by driver while bicycling in El Cajon

Sad news from El Cajon, where a man died days after he was gravely injured in a collision.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, 56-year old Robert Bronk, who lived on the streets, was struck by a driver while riding his bike at El Cajon Blvd and West Lexington Ave around 10 am on Sunday, April 18th.

Actually, the paper says he was hit by a vehicle, with no mention whatsoever that it had a driver.

Bronk was taken to San Diego’s Sharp Memorial Hospital with traumatic head injuries, and given end-of-life care due to the severity of his injuries.

He died last Friday, five days after he was injured; the tragedy of his death was compounded by the tragedy of his circumstances.

Like any human being, he deserved better.

This is at least the 22nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Robert Bronk and his loved ones.

Thanks to Phillip Young for the heads-up. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

Man killed in collision riding bike across Hwy 163 in San Diego’s Balboa Park Wednesday night

April 23, 2021 / / 2 comments

Let’s start with the fact that cars don’t belong in parks.

Let alone major highways bisecting one of Southern California’s most iconic public spaces.

Yet that’s the situation in San Diego, where multi-lane State Route 163 runs directly through the 1,200-acre Balboa Park.

Wednesday night, it cost a man his life.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, a man was riding his bicycle across the southbound lane of the 163 just south of the Cabrillo Bridge when he was struck by a 63-year old driver around 9:05 pm.

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

The victim, who was not publicly identified, was reportedly trying to cross from the center divider to the right shoulder. There’s no word on why he was crossing where he did, rather than use the nearby bridge.

This is at least the 21st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

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

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

Update: 33-year old man killed riding bike in Escondido collision Friday night

March 27, 2021 / / One comment

It’s already been a bad weekend for SoCal bike riders.

Starting with a fatal collision in Escondido Friday night.

According to the Union-Tribune, a 33-year old man, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was struck by the driver of a Nissan Altima just after 7 pm at the intersection of West Ninth Avenue and South Spruce Street.

The paper reports that paramedics responding to the crash arrived to find the victim unconscious and bleeding from head injuries; he was taken to Palomar Medical Center, where he died.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on how the collision occurred. However, visibility may have been an issue since the crash occurred sometime around sundown.

A street view shows a bike lane with a brief separation on Ninth, beginning west of Spruce, on a three lane street with a 35 mph speed limit; the intersection is controlled only by a stop sign on Spruce. The street has two lanes in each direction with sharrows east of Spruce.

The driver, who also hasn’t been identified, was taken to a hospital with undisclosed medical issues after initially remaining at the scene.

This is at least the 14th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

Although someone should tell the U-T that the car did not hit the victim by itself; the story doesn’t even mention the driver until the final paragraph.

Update: The victim has been identified as 33-year old Escondido resident Diego Mateo.

Mateo was riding west on Ninth when he was rear-ended by a driver following in the same direction, after allegedly swerving in front of the car.

However, it’s important to remember that, unless there were independent witnesses, we only have the driver’s word on how the crash occurred, since the victim isn’t around to share their side of the story.

A motorist can easily drift right, then assume the bike rider who suddenly appeared in front of them somehow darted into their path. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Diego Mateo and his loved ones. 

 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

32-year old man riding bike killed in collision with SUV driver near El Cajon

February 12, 2021 / / One comment

A man was killed riding a bike on a country road east of El Cajon Wednesday night.

And for a change, investigators were quick to blame the driver.

According to multiple identical stories from the City News Service, the victim was riding a cruiser bike on east Willow Glen Drive, west of Dehesa Road near the Singing Hills Golf Resort, when he was run down from behind at 7:20 pm.

The helmetless victim, who has been identified only as a 32-year old man, died at the scene.

A CHP spokesman said the eastbound driver, a 48-year man from El Cajon, somehow drifted to the right, striking the victim’s bike at around 45 mph and hurling him to the roadway.

The driver remained at the scene; police don’t believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. However, there’s no word on whether the driver’s phone was examined for evidence of distracted driving.

There’s also no word on whether the victim suffered a head injury; if not, it really doesn’t matter whether or not he had a helmet. And a crash at that speed was likely not survivable, with or without one.

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

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: Motorcyclist and bicycle rider collide near Jamul in East San Diego County, both victims killed

January 10, 2021 / / 2 comments

One crash. Two bikes. Two dead.

In a rare double tragedy, a man on a bicycle was struck by another man on a motorcycle near Jamul in East San Diego County.

Both died within minutes.

According to multiple sources, the victim on the bicycle was riding at the end of a group of road cyclists as they rode east on Otay Lakes Road near the Pio Pico RV Resort and Campground.

The motorcyclist was riding east with three other motorcycle riders when he somehow slammed into the other man on the narrow two-lane road around 9:30 am today.

They both received CPR at the scene, but were pronounced dead after ten minutes.

They were described only as men in their mid to late 30s.

There’s no word on what may have caused the crash.

This is at least the 3rd bicycling fatality in Southern California already this year, and the first that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 40-year old Chula Vista resident Julius Cunanan; he leaves behind his wife and two young sons, one just a month old. 

A crowdfunding page has raised nearly $25,000 in two days, surpassing the $15,000 goal. 

Update 2: The motorcyclist has been identified as 43-year-old Jonathan Michael Charbonnet, also from Chula Vista. 

Still no word on why Charbonnet collided with Cunanan’s bicycle.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Julius Cunanan and Jonathan Michael Charbonnet, and all their loved ones. 

Thanks to Phillip Young for the heads-up. 

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

Update: Bike rider killed in collision with semi driver near Bonsall, second fatal San Diego County bike crash in two days

December 15, 2020 / / 4 comments

For the second time in two days, a bike rider has been killed in San Diego County.

Multiple sources are reporting someone on a bicycle was killed while riding on eastbound State Route 76, near North River Road outside of Bonsall this morning, less than a day after a man was killed in a Santee collision.

The Village News offers more details, placing the crash just west of North River Road around 10:24 am.

According to the paper, the victim was riding east on SR 76 when he was struck by the driver of a semi-truck traveling in the same direction.

No identification or description was given for either the victim or the driver.

The driver returned to the scene, which suggests he or she initially kept kept going. It’s possible they may not have known they hit someone at first if they sideswiped the victim.

Otherwise, the driver should have been aware of the impact.

A street view shows SR 73 is a divided highway with two lanes in each direction and a paved, painted shoulder, along with a right turn slip lane the victim would have had to navigate in order to stay on the highway.

This is at least the 65th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 11th that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

Update: The driver, who has not been identified, was allegedly stoned on some unspecified drug at the time of the crash.

He reported drifted off the roadway onto what the CHP identifies as a bike lane, where the victim was riding, then returned to the scene after finding a safe place to turn around. 

Which does not explain why he didn’t simply stop after hitting the victim. 

The 57-year old Santa Fe Springs resident was arrested on suspicion of DUI. 

Meanwhile, the victim has been identified only as a 58-year old Oceanside resident riding a KHS road bike. 

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

 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

Man killed riding bike in Santee collision; few details available

December 15, 2020 / / 5 comments

A man was killed in a collision while riding a bike in Santee Monday afternoon.

Which is almost all we know about it right now.

According to multiple nearly identical sources, the victim was struck by the driver of some sort of vehicle around 3:45 pm Monday at Mission Gorge Road and Fanita Drive.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports he was taken to a hospital with a grave head injury, where he died.

The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Which should be a given, but sadly isn’t.

Sheriff’s deputies don’t think alcohol played a role in the crash.

Westbound Mission Gorge was closed for hours after the crash, suggesting that’s where the crash occurred; a street view shows a busy six lane divided highway with a double left turn lane and no shoulder.

Anyone with information is urged to call sheriff’s investigators at 858/565-5200.

This is at least the 64th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 10th that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

Update: Man killed in Encinitas bicycling crash; no word about the victim or the driver who killed him

November 28, 2020 / / 17 comments

Once again a bicycle rider has been killed.

And not one word about the driver — or whether there even was one.

According to multiple virtually identical sources, a man died following an apparent right hook collision in Encinitas late Saturday morning.

The victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was struck as some sort of vehicle was turning right from westbound Leucadia Boulevard onto Moonstone Court around 11:50 am.

He died after he was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, despite the efforts of bystanders to revive him before paramedics arrived.

The closest any of the stories came to mentioning that the vehicle even had a driver was a brief reference that police investigators don’t think alcohol played a role in the crash.

That determination also implies that the driver remained at the scene.

A street view shows a wide, four-lane divided highway on Leucadia with a faded green bike lane on either side.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know at this time, or are likely to learn before the holiday weekend is over.

This is at least the 61st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

Update: The victim has finally been publicly identified as Dr. Jennings Worley, a noted authority in the battle against cystic fibrosis, who was instrumental in developing a number of bio-engineering patents.

He leaves behind his wife of 34 years and two adult children. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Dr. Jennings Worley and his loved ones. 

Thanks to Phillip Young for the heads-up. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Man killed riding a bicycle in Lemon Grove; few details available

October 31, 2020 / / One comment

Multiple sources are reporting that a man was killed while riding a bicycle in Lemon Grove Thursday night.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the victim was struck by a driver around 7:50 pm, somewhere in the vicinity of Massachusetts Ave and Westview Place.

The man, who has not been publicly identified, was rushed to Scripps Mercy Hospital with visible leg trauma, where he died.

The driver remained at the scene; investigators don’t suspect intoxication. There’s no word on whether he or she may have been distracted.

A street view shows bike lanes on Massachusetts north of Westview, which disappear without warning as the street goes from one to two lanes of traffic in each direction.

However, there’s nothing to suggest that may have played a factor in the crash at this time.

This is at least the 55th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,
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