Tag | distracted driving
CHP Revises Findings in Fatal Collision: Bicyclist Not To Blame
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has revised its assessment of a fata collision between a bicyclist and a big rig truck that happened last November. Initially the CHP investigation team said that the bicyclist on Alpine Road was to blame for the fatal collision, but after a review and re-investigation they have changed their minds. The findings now show that the bicyclist was struck while still upright.
The family of the deceased bicyclist are planning to sue the truck driver, as he had been involved in a prior fatal accident and was likely “reckless.”
Please check out the article at LosAltosPatch for more information.
Harassing Bicyclists In LA Is Now A Crime
The streets of LA may have gotten a bit safer for bicyclists–thanks in no small part to the Los Angeles council. The LA Times reports that this last Wednesday the council passed an ordinance that would make harassing bicyclists a crime. Not only are motorists prohibited from verbally and physically threatening bicyclists, the ordinance would also allow bicyclists who were victims of harassment to sue in civil court without formal charges.
Thanks, no doubt, to a small but vocal band of bicyclist-activists, Los Angeles seems to finally be taking the rights of bicyclists seriously. This ordinance–about which you can read more in the Los Angeles Times article here–is the toughest in the country. Hopefully it will help motorists think twice before threatening the life of bicyclists, the road is enough of a challenge without driver hostility!
One Bicyclist Dead and Another Injured in Rancho Peñasquitos
Last Tuesday night, at about 6:20 PM an SUV plowed through the chain link fence that separated the bike lane from traffic, killing one bicyclist and injuring another.
The driver, an unidentified female, seemed to be trying to transition from one lane to another when she lost control of her vehicle. The SUV veered to the right, went up a grassy embankment and then plowed through the fence and into the bike lane.
The bicyclist who died was described as being in his 30s or 40s, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Another bicyclist also believed to be in his 30s or 40s, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Apparently both bicyclists were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.
The cause of the accident is being investigated, it is unknown at this time whether drugs or alcohol played a part in the accident.
Stay tuned for updates to this tragic accident.
Carlsbad Man Arrested In Hit-And-Run Fatality
According to this SignOnSanDiego.com article, 36 year old Joseph Ricardo Fernandez was arrested in relation to the hit-and-run death of James Steven Swarzman.
According to police, Fernandez got in touch with the Carlsbad police on Monday and said that he might have been involved in a collision. When Fernandez’s truck was examined, officers found the damage to be consistent with Swarzman’s hit-and-run.
Drinking may have been a factor.
Fernandez is currently being held in Vista on $50,000 bail, with an arraignment scheduled for Wednesday in Vista Superior Court.
UPDATE ON FATAL HIT-AND-RUN VEHICLE!
Detectives now say that the truck they are looking for is a dark-colored Dodge Ram pickup. According to this follow-up article at nctimes.com, the truck would meet the following description:
- 2007 or 2008 Dodge Ram 1500, or
- 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500, with
- damage to the front on the passenger’s side
Please help Swarzman’s fiance and fellow bicycle racer Nicole Honda find out who killed her fiance!
Bicyclist Killed In Hit-And-Run: Information Needed!
James Steven Swarzman, a 47 year old competitive and recreational bicycle rider, was killed in a hit-and-run early last Sunday morning. He was on a training ride with two other bicyclists and, at near North Coast Highway 101 and Jason Street, was hit was hit from behind by a dark-colored pickup truck at about 1:00 am. Although he was air lifted to La Jolla Scripps Memorial Hospital, he was, according to the 10news.com article, pronounced dead three hours later.
It would be tempting to call this tragic event an accident, but authorities are investigating the possibility that Swarzman was hit on purpose. According to a witness, the driver never slowed down.
This is the second hit-and-run collision in this area recently, the first involved Heath Bernstein, who was riding his bicycle on Highway 101 in Carlsbad when he was run down by a dark-colored pickup truck. According to Bernstein, he believes that the driver of the truck, who “came across one empty lane of traffic and the bike lane” hit him on purpose.
Authorities are looking for a “newer model Ford F-150 pickup, either blue or dark-colored, with obvious front end damage, probably to the headlights” in connection with this accident. According to the 10News article, the truck involved in Sunday’s tragedy is almost identical to the one in Bernstein’s hit-and-run collision.
UPDATE: Detectives are now looking for a Dodge Ram pickup truck, see the details of the vehicle in question here.
Ride safe–it is a crazy world out there.
