Once again, an innocent person on a bicycle has become collateral damage, courtesy of a reckless driver.
All because she was exactly where she was supposed to be, doing exactly what she was supposed to do.
But had the misfortune of sharing the road with someone who wasn’t.
Multiple sources are reporting that the woman was riding near Del Amo Blvd and Norwalk Blvd in Lakewood around 8:30 Friday morning, when a Honda driver allegedly ran the red light and crashed into a school bus that was turning left onto Norwalk.
The car then ricocheted into the victim, who was waiting on her bike for the light to change.
The victim, who died at the scene, was publicly identified only as an elderly woman.
No one else was injured; however, the driver of the school bus, which was reportedly empty, was taken to a hospital for treatment of anxiety.
There’s no word on whether the Honda driver was arrested for allegedly causing the crash, or even ticketed for running the red light.
This is at least the 40th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 12th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
Update: The victim has been identified as 66-year old Tami Hayworth; a comment below from Janine Huddleston says that Hayworth was her aunt, adding that she had a huge heart and a kind soul, and the best person she knew.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Tami Hayworth and her loved ones.
