A bad month for Southern California bike riders just keeps getting worse.
For the eighth time this month, we’ve learned that someone was killed riding a bicycle, this time in Twentynine Palms.
According to a press release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department reposted by a local radio station, the victim was struck by a driver while riding on the 5100 block of Adobe Road in Twentynine Palms around 12:51 pm on Monday.
Investigators report the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding north on Adobe while weaving in and out of the northbound lanes. He was struck by the driver, presumably head-on, after swerving onto the southbound side of the road.
He died at the scene, despite the effort of bystanders and first responders to perform CPR.
The driver remained on scene and cooperated with investigators, and is not believed to have been under the influence.
Adobe is a four lane mostly rural roadway with a center turn lane; there are a handful on businesses on the west side of the road the victim may have been attempting to get to when he was killed.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station at 760/366-4175, or anonymously at 1-800/782-7463 or at wetip.com.
This is at least the 37th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
