California Injury Blog
A 58-year-old man was killed in a Los Angeles bicycle accident, which officials say, involved a hit-and-run driver. According to an NBC4 news report, the incident occurred the night of June 21, 2016 in the 100 block of North Crescent Heights Boulevard in Beverly Grove. Police said the bicyclist who was riding on First Street was struck by a vehicle at a high rate of speed at the intersection of Crescent Heights Boulevard.
The bicyclist was thrown 75 feet due to the impact. The female driver fled the scene. The bicyclist was hit by another car, but that driver stopped and will not face any charges. The hit-and-run driver also struck another vehicle about a block away from the fatal crash. The driver is believed to have abandoned the red Ford SUV after the second crash. A detailed description of the driver was not available. The investigation is ongoing.
Our deepest condolences go out to the family members and friends of this deceased victim for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Bicycle Accident Hit and Runs
A recent Los Angeles Times study showed that hit-and-run crashes involving bicyclists have been on the rise in Los Angeles County. According to the Times’ analysis of California Highway Patrol data, hit-and-run accidents involving bicyclists surged 42 percent from 2002 to 2012 in Los Angeles County. This increase came as the overall number of hit-and-runs involving cars, cyclists and pedestrians dropped by 30 percent. Between 2002 and 2012, the most recent data available, more than 5,600 cyclists were injured and at least 36 dies in crashes in which drivers fled the scene.
Justice for Victims
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver who initially struck the bicyclist fled the scene. California Vehicle Code Section 20001 (a) prevents motorists involved in accidents from leaving the scene. Drivers involved in collisions are required under the law to stop immediately and remain at the scene of the crash, regardless of whose fault the collision might have been.
If you have lost a loved one in a hit-and-run collision, we offer our sympathies to you. It is important for victims or their families in such cases to contact an experienced Los Angeles car accident lawyer who has been successful in securing maximum compensation in hit-and-run cases. A knowledgeable attorney will also be able to advise families about how they might be able to seek compensation for an incident where the hit-and-run hasn’t been apprehended or in a case where the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.