Southern California Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A hit-and-run collision in Rancho Cucamonga resulted in major injuries for a 56-year-old bicyclist. According to a news report in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, the injury crash occurred at the intersection of 19th Street and Eastwood Avenue the night of August 21, 2010. The pickup truck that struck the bicyclist left the scene of the crash. The man suffered major head injuries and was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Police are still looking for the hit-and-run vehicle, which is described as a gold-colored Nissan Frontier with a flat front right tire. If you have any information, please call police at 909-477-1800 or visit our web site www.hitandrunreward.com to find out how you can leave an anonymous tip and become eligible to win a $1,000 reward. We are offering the reward for information leading to the arrest and felony conviction of hit-and-run drivers. It is part of our effort to eradicate the epidemic of hit-and-run incidents in our neighborhoods and communities.

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A bicycle accident the night of August 15, 2010 in Lodi, California, left 13-year-old Dillon Buck with serious injuries, The Lodi News-Sentinel reports. Police officials say the crash happened when the boy, who was in the bike lane, was struck by a minivan driven by Kurt Boardman, 51. The driver told officials that the Dillon was riding east in the westbound bike lane. Dillon suffered severe abdominal injuries and was taken to a local medical center. An investigation is ongoing.

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A 58-year-old La Palma man was killed in a Long Beach car accident after his bicycle was struck by a pickup truck. According to a City News Service report, the fatal bicycle collision occurred at the intersection of Carson Street and Woodruff Avenue the night of June 26, 2010. Long Beach police officials say a 70-year-old man driving a 2010 Ford F-150 west on Carson Street crashed into the bicyclist who was also westbound. The bicyclist was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Anyone with information is asked to contact Long Beach police at 562-570-7355.

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According to Motor Vehicle Code 21228, bicyclists and scooter enthusiasts are legally required to ride inside bike lanes when lanes are available. There have been many debates over the importance of bike lanes, and whether they promote or inhibit safety. Here at BISNAR | CHASE we always encourage you to obey the traffic laws and ride your scooter or moped in bike lanes when they are available.

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Alan Earl Miller, 55, was killed in a Riverside car accident after his bicycle was struck by an SUV the afternoon of May 10, 2010. According to the Daily Pilot, Miller, a Costa Mesa resident, was riding his bicycle on Temescal Canyon Road in an unincorporated part of Riverside County when a 2003 Ford SUV driven by 42-year-old Scott J. Reis struck him from behind. California Highway Patrol officials say Miller was thrown off his bicycle by the impact of the collision. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials say Reis went off the roadway before he struck Miller. CHP officials have not arrested Reis pending an official investigation.

I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Alan Earl Miller for their profound loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

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Jorge Alvarado, 27, was killed in a San Bernardino car accident after his bicycle was struck by a vehicle the morning of April 8, 2010. According to a news release from the San Bernardino Coroner, the fatal bicycle collision occurred on Greenspot Road, near Santa Ana Canyon Road, in Highland. A vehicle that was going north on Greenspot lost control, crossed over into the southbound lane and hit Alvarado, who was riding along the shoulder. Alvarado was thrown off his bike. He died at the scene. Police say drugs or alcohol do not seem to be a factor.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jorge Alvarado for their devastating and heartbreaking loss. According to the Coroner's website, Alvarado was a member of the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team and a pro cyclist. Tragic! Please keep this grieving family in your thoughts and prayers. This incident reminds us about the dangers bicyclists face on our roadways each and every day.

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A 7-year-old boy was critically injured in a Garden Grove car accident after he was hit by a pickup truck while riding his bike on a neighborhood street. The Orange County Register reports that the major injury collision occurred the evening of March 28, 2010 on El Prado Avenue near the 22 Freeway. Apparently, the boy was dragged a short distance by the Ford F-150 pickup truck, after the collision. The driver of the truck -- 47-year-old Kha Huynh, stopped at the scene. The child was taken to an area hospital where he remains in a coma, in the intensive care unit. Authorities say the boy was not wearing a helmet at the time.

My thoughts and prayers go out to this little boy who is apparently fighting for his life. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. According to a family member who commented on the Register's web site, the child has sustained a traumatic brain injury. Please keep this boy and his family in your prayers.

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At a time when concerns for the environment have moved people to use alternative transportation, including public transport, walking and bicycling, those getting from here to there without a car are finding the roads to be a bit "bumpy."

With a mixture of cars and bicycles on the congested streets, many accidents happen that leave bicyclists with severe injuries. It seems that the laws in place do not bend for the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, and that is why bicycle coalitions across California are working together to get new laws passed.

According to SF Streets Blog, a site committed to providing alternative-transportation news to the public and promoting "livable streets," the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) has three ideas they'd like to see become laws.

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A 47-year-old man has been fatally injured in a San Bernardino car accident, after his bicycle was struck by an SUV the evening of December 16, 2009. According to a news report in the San Bernardino Sun, the man, whose identity has not yet been released was riding across Bloomington Avenue near Vine Street in Bloomington, when he was hit by a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban that was traveling east. An investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of this deceased victim for their devastating loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

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Two teenagers riding their bikes sustained injuries in a San Diego car accident the morning of November 18, 2009 after a driver swerved into their lane, North County Times reports. California Highway Patrol officials said the two boys -- ages 14 and 13 -- were riding westbound on Bear Valley Parkway in Escondido, California. They were both single-file in the bike lane, when a tan-colored SUV swerved directly in front of them. One of the boys veered to the right and struck the curb. The other boy ran into the cyclist ahead of him and got thrown off his bike.

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Two people have been injured in an Orange County car accident after a Jeep Cherokee collided with a bicycle on Santiago Canyon Road at Irvine Lake the morning of November 17, 2009. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the Jeep hit the bicyclist from behind and then rolled over several times. The driver of the Jeep is in critical condition and the bicyclist has been hospitalized with moderate injuries, according to Orange County fire officials who responded to the accident scene. Witnesses say the bicycle rider is extremely fortunate that he did not sustain major injuries, especially because he was not wearing a helmet.

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Randy Vargas, 12, was killed in a Riverside car accident after he was struck by a pickup truck the evening of October 26, 2009. According to a news report in The Press Enterprise, Randy was hit by a white Toyota pickup truck while riding his bicycle along the 27400 block of Jarvis Street, between Perris and Lake Elsinore. California Highway Patrol officials said the boy was taken to a local hospital and later transferred to Loma Linda University Medical Center in San Bernardino County. Randy Vargas died the morning of October 27, San Bernardino Coroner's officials said.

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Daryl David Benefiel was killed in an Orange County bicycle accident the evening of July 23, 2009, The Orange County Register reports. Benefiel was riding his bike south on Ridge Park Road in Newport Beach, California, when he collided with a car making a left turn from Tesoro, Newport Beach police officials said. The driver of the car, Nathan Tsuchiya, was uninjured. It's not clear whether Benefiel was wearing a helmet. No citations or arrests were made as a police investigation into this fatal bicycle accident is still in progress.

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Angel Guadalupe Galvez, 37, was killed in a San Diego bicycle accident after he was struck from behind by a pickup truck, 10news reports. Galvez was traveling south on Cole Grade Road in Valley Center the morning of July 21, 2009 when a 1992 Chevrolet pickup truck approached from behind. The truck's driver, 50-year-old Gregory Pile, tried to pass Galvez near Fruitvale Road and ended up hitting the bicycle. Galvez was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. Pile was not injured. Officials have not yet filed any charges against Pile pending an investigation.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Angel Guadalupe Galvez for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were four fatalities and 392 injuries involving bicycle accidents in the city of San Diego. In San Diego County as a whole, 11 fatalities and 797 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of bicycle accidents.

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A man in his 40s was injured in an Irvine bicycle accident the morning of June 19, 2009 after a hit-and-run driver struck him at a city intersection, The Orange County Register reports. The Orange County hit-and-run accident apparently occurred at the intersection of Irvine Center Drive and Pacifica. The bicyclist was conscious and breathing after he was struck, but seemed to have suffered hip injuries, Orange County Fire Authority officials said. There is no vehicle description available of the hit-and-run car.

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A 7-year-old boy suffered serious head injuries in a Ventura bicycle accident that happened near the intersection of Calle Turquesa and Paseo la Perla the afternoon of May 30, 2009, the Ventura County Star reports. The boy apparently rode his bike from between two parked vehicles into the path of a car driven by 49-year-old Reina Linares who was traveling west on Calle Turquesa. Thousand Oaks police officials said Linares was unable to avoid hitting the child and his bicycle. The boy, who has not been identified yet, was taken to an area hospital. Linares was uninjured. Police also said that the boy was not wearing a helmet.

My heart goes out to the child and his family. I can only imagine their shock and the agony they must be going through at this point. I hope the little boy recovers soon and does not suffer any lasting condition or injury. Please keep him in your prayers.

According to the California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were three fatalities and 261 personal injuries involving bicycle accidents in Ventura County. In Thousand Oaks, in 2007, there were reportedly no fatalities, but 48 injuries occurred involving bicycle accidents.

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I came across this informative Orange County bicycle accident article in the Whittier Daily News written by Sgt. Dan Lowe of the Whittier Police Department's Traffic Bureau. I think this article is worth sharing because of the important information it contains and for reminding readers that they are not on the road alone. As motorists, we share the road with not only other vehicles, but also pedestrians and bicyclists. In fact more and more people are taking to riding bicycles and motorcycles because of skyrocketing gas prices and the current economic situation. This may be an important factor to future motorcycle and bicycle collision statistics.

This article by Sgt. Lowe addresses the specific legal obligations of bicyclists as well as the legal obligations of motorists. California Vehicle Code section 21200 states: "Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this division."

A bicyclist is no different than the operator of any other vehicle. He or she must obey all the laws that a driver is required to obey while operating a car. What this means is that a bicyclist must ride in the direction of traffic, stop at stop lights and stop signs. Bicyclists may also be arrested for riding their bicycle under the influence of alcohol or drugs (California Vehicle Code section 21200.5).

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A man was critically injured the evening of May 3, 2009 in a Los Angeles bicycle versus car accident, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported. The rider, whom officials did not identify, was taken to the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center. The bicycle accident victim was apparently heading east on Grand Avenue when he was hit by a car driven by 19-year-old Sal Yglesias of Chino Hills. Yglesias had been driving north on Reservoir Street at the time of the car accident. Pomona Police are investigating the cause of the car crash. If you have information or witnessed this bicycle accident, please call Sgt. Micahel Olivieri at 909-802-7741.

My heart goes out to this bicyclist who suffered critical personal injuries in this Los Angeles car collision. I wish him the very best and hope that he makes a quick and complete recovery.

According to the California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatality and 47 personal injuries involving , bicycle accidents in Pomona. In Los Angeles County as a whole, there were 27 deaths and 2,902 personal injuries involving bicycle accidents in 2007.

According to the California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatality and 47 personal injuries involving bicycle accidents in Pomona. In Los Angeles County as a whole, there were 27 deaths and 2,902 personal injuries involving bicycle accidents in 2007.

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Fatal Orange County Cycle Versus Auto Accident

A man killed in an Westminster auto accident when he was struck by a pickup truck while riding his tricycle has been identified as 72-year-old Dieu Vu of Westminster, The Orange County Register reports. The fatal auto accident occurred the morning of March 23, 2009 when Vu was pedaling his cycle across the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue. A full-sized pickup with oversized wheels and a high suspension turned right on a green light into the cyclist, Vu, according to Westminster police officials. The driver of the pickup was identified as 31-year-old Michael Sindar of Westminster.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Dieu Vu for their extremely tragic loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2006 traffic accident statistics, there was one bicycle accident fatality and 31 injuries that occurred as a result of bicycle accidents in Westminster. In Orange County as a whole, 16 deaths and 1,020 injuries were reported as a result of bicycle accidents during 2006.

In this particular case, there is little information available about how or why the fatal tricycle accident occurred. Based on the newspaper report, it seems that Dieu Vu was crossing at an intersection. Sindar was turning right on a green, but if he had seen Vu crossing the street, he should have stopped his pickup truck and yielded right-of-way to Vu. The fact that Sindar did not stop and kept going tells me that he did not see Vu on the tricycle attempting to cross the major street intersection. Going by some of the comments made to this news account, this is not the first fatality to happen here at what appears to be a very busy and dangerous intersection with blind spots

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Fatal Riverside County Bicycle Accident

Michael A. Cole, 49 was killed in an Indio bicycle accident after he was hit by a suspected drunk driver, The Desert Sun reports. Arturo R. Hernandez, 64, was driving his pickup truck on Highway 111 near Madison Street the night of March 17, 2009 when he struck Cole, who was riding his bicycle. Hernandez was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and released so a complaint could be filed. Indio police officials say that Hernandez had been arrested on March 8, 2009 on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI and released from the jail the next day on $2,500 bail. Hernandez is facing a vehicular manslaughter charge as well.

My heart goes out to the family of Michael Cole for their tragic loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved Cole. Please keep them in your prayers. It is heartbreaking that Cole died because this person decided to drink and drive.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2006 traffic accident statistics, there were no bicycle accident fatalities reported in Indio. There were, however, 14 injuries related to bicycle accidents that were reported. In Riverside County as whole, 15 deaths and 359 injuries were attributed to bicycle accidents in 2006. Also for the same year in Riverside County, 136 traffic accident fatalities occurred that were alcohol-related.

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