Articles Posted in Bicycle Accidents

California Highway Patrol officials in San Diego County are looking for a hit-and-run driver who struck and ran over bicyclist, 30-year-old Edward Costa in Alpine on December 2, 2008. According to this NBC news report, the 12/2/08 fatal San Diego bicycle accident occurred along Alpine Boulevard near Rock Terrace Road. Costa was traveling eastbound when a vehicle swerved into the bike lane, struck Costa and ran him over. The driver then sped away from the scene of the crash. Costa was taken to an area hospital where he later passed away.

CHP officials said Costa was thrown 40 feet from where his bicycle came to rest and probably 50 to 60 feet away from the original point of impact. The hit-and-run vehicle is described as a late model white truck or SUV with a white and red license plate. If you saw this accident or believe you have information about the hit-and-run driver, please call CHP in San Diego, or give my office a call and we can pass on your tip to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

My heart goes out to the family of Edward Costa. Here was a hard working man, a husband and a father of two young children. He was an innocent man going about his business and only to be run down by someone who not only hit him, but also left him to die on the street. Heartbreaking!
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Elijah Miclea, 56, of Hawthorne was killed in a Lawndale bicycle accident on November 24, 2008 when he was struck by a Waste Management garbage truck, the Daily Breeze reports. The 11/24/08 fatal bicycle accident occurred at Marine Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard. Miclea was on a bicycle on the southeast corner of the intersection when the Waste Management truck made a right turn and collided with the bicycle. Miclea was knocked down and fell under the wheels. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Elijah Miclea for their tragic loss. I offer my deepest condolences to them.
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James McClellan, 76, of Walnut, suffered serious injuries in a City of Industry bicycle versus big rig accident on November 25, 2008. According to this news report in the Pasadena Star News, McClellan was riding his bicycle on Lemon Avenue near Valley Boulevard when he was struck by the big rig. McClellan was pinned under the passenger-side front tire of the big rig. Both his ankles were severely broken, officials said.

Officials say the big rig driver was at fault here. The truck driver and McClellan were both stopped in the street waiting for a train to pass just before this 11/25/08 crash occurred. Once the train passed, the big rig made a right turn from Lemon Avenue onto a side street striking the stopped bicyclist. Officials are calling this an “unfortunate accident” saying that the truck driver did not see McClellan and the bicyclist in turn did not see the moving big rig.

My heart goes out to James McClellan, the elderly bicyclist who was injured in this horrific accident. I wish him the very best for a quick and complete recovery.
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Santiago Aguilar, a 27-year-old man, was killed in a bicycle versus big rig accident on November 14, 2008 in La Puente, the Pasadena Star News reports. The 11/14/08 crash occurred at the intersection of Valley Boulevard and 7th Avenue, California Highway Patrol officials said.

Aguilar was riding his bicycle eastbound on the sidewalk on the south side of Valley Boulevard before the crash. The Peterbilt truck was eastbound on the street as well.
Eyewitnesses told CHP officials that Aguilar was riding through the intersection on a green light about the same time the driver of the big rig made a right turn from Valley Boulevard on to 7th Avenue. Aguilar hit the back of the truck’s trailer and was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. CHP officials are asking that anyone with more information about this crash call their Baldwin Park office at 626-338-1164.

My heart goes out to the family of Santiago Aguilar for their tragic loss. Please keep them in your prayers.
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A 68-year-old Orange County man was critically injured in a Fullerton bicycle accident on November 6, 2008, after he was hit by a van, The Orange County Register reports. The cyclist, whose name has not yet been released, was hit and thrown from his bicycle on Kimberly Avenue at State College Boulevard. The man was taken to an area hospital with major internal and head injuries, Fullerton police officials said.

This is obviously a serious and tragic accident. My heart goes out to this man who was severely injured. I sincerely hope he has a quick and complete recovery.
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Bicycle enthusiasts in Gilroy, California, are wondering whether the California Highway Patrol is conducting a thorough investigation of a fatal bicycle that killed 58-year-old cyclist Bruce Finch on October 5, 2008, the Morgan Hill Times reports. CHP officials say Finch was riding on Uvas Road when his bike collided with a 1997 Honda driven by 60-year-old Rita Campos who was stopped at the intersection of Uvas and Little Uvas roads.

Campos was traveling east on Little Uvas while Finch was riding south on Uvas. Cyclists who are familiar with those roads say travelers on Uvas Road have the right of way at this intersection. On that road, bicycles get up to speeds of 25 mph, but cars travel faster at 45 or 50 mph. Moreover, local bicyclists describe Finch as a “very strong as safe cyclist.”
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A 93-year-old man struck and killed in a Long Beach hit-and-run bicycle accident on October 9, 2008 has been identified as Bernard Nelson. He was riding his bicycle west across the northbound lanes of Santa Fe Avenue at Canton Street when 81-year-old Lloyd Hills hit him and then fled the scene, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reports. Long Beach Police caught up with Hills and arrested him on suspicion of hit-and-run.

Bernard Nelson suffered severe head and chest trauma and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Long Beach Police are still looking for more information about this 10/09/2008 auto versus bicycle collision. If you have any information, please call Long Beach Accident Investigations Detective David Lauro at 562-570-7355.

I offer my condolences to the family of Bernard Nelson, who lost his life in this tragic accident.
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Seal Beach mom Cathy Busse was killed, and her 14-year-old son, Sam, suffered injuries in a Seal Beach bicycle accident on October 12, 2008 after a pickup truck struck them, The Orange County Register reports. This tragic 10/12/2008 bicycle accident occurred after the late model blue Ford pickup truck driving on Lampson Avenue east of Seal Beach Boulevard hit Cathy and Sam Busse.

Those who witnessed this horrific accident said mother and son were thrown 50 feet away from the point of impact, landing close to some bushes near the 405 Freeway. Officials are looking for witnesses to the collision to determine exactly what caused the bicycle accident and who was responsible for it.

My heart goes out to the family of Cathy Busse for their tragic loss. Sam Busse will be in my prayers. He not only suffered injuries, but the emotional trauma of seeing his mother struck and killed. According to the article, Cathy Busse was a “warrior mother,” whose autistic son, Sam, was her “biggest fan and best friend.”

In 2006, there were no bicycle accident related deaths in Seal Beach and 10 bicycle accident related injuries, according to statistics from California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System (SWITRS). In Orange County, there were a total of 22 bicycle accident fatalities and 1,005 bicycle accident related injuries during the same period.

There are many questions that need to be answered in this fatal Seal Beach bicycle accident. What caused the driver of the truck to lose control of his vehicle and strike the two bicyclists? Were speed, alcohol or dugs factors in this accident? Did the driver of the pickup truck suffer a medical condition that caused him to lose control of his truck? Was there a dangerous condition on the roadway that caused this collision?
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Justin Ames, 14, died Aug. 22, in a San Bernardino bicycle accident when a San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department patrol car struck and killed him south of Drummond Avenue in Highland, the San Bernardino Sun reports. Justin and a friend were riding their bicycles near the intersection of Drummond and Ninth Street when one of the patrol cars that was reportedly responding to a disturbance call, struck Justin. The patrol cars did not have lights or sirens on and Justin was not wearing a helmet.

My deepest sympathies to the family of Justin Ames. Please keep them in your prayers.

Initial eyewitness reports in this accident are contradictory. One witness said the boys did not stop at a stop sign, but also added that the boys may not have seen the patrol cars because a tractor trailer parked on Ninth Street was obscuring the “already-difficult” view of the intersection.
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