We knew it couldn’t last.
After a rare month in which only one bike rider was killed anywhere in Southern California, another rider has lost his life on SoCal streets.
And just five miles from the site of last month’s tragedy in Palm Desert.
According to the Press-Enterprise, 51-year old Bermuda Dunes resident Todd Barajas was hit by a 2002 Porsche driven by Thomas Karl Doczi of Rancho Mirage at 2:18 am Saturday morning, on westbound Hovey Lane just west of Corporate Way.
No word on where Barajas’ bike was positioned on the roadway or how the collision occurred. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Doczi was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter; according to the Desert Sun, police suspect he may have been driving drunk.
This is just the second bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, compared to 13 this time last year. And it’s the second in both Palm Desert and Riverside County since the first of the year.
Remarkably, no bike riders have been killed anywhere else in Southern California since the end of last year.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Todd Barajas and all his loved ones.
