benjdm

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/...-in-calabasas/

WTF.

howeeee

Sucks, I dont get why the Sargent is acting like it was just a typical accident with noway to prevent these kind of things. I agree with u,,WTF

Nikon Rep

The deputy probably saw the cyclist reaching for his waistband and decided to just ram him with his cruiser.

The most important thing is that the deputy go home to his family at the end of his shift.

howeeee

I love. love. love to ride my bike, but this story is the reason I ride road bikes very seldom. I mostly ride cruisers so I can ride a lot on sidewalks and bike paths away from people like that deputy.

CB HI

Article comment:
Did not take long to blame the cyclist.

Nikon Rep

Don't worry, that post came from a sheriffs department smear merchant.

The LA County sheriffs have a HUGE unit that specializes in media. They have lawyers who do nothing but threaten Youtube over videos of their deputies that have been filmed by members of the public. Youtube almost always caves to them and removes videos.

the LACSO is one of the most corrupt departments in America.

benjdm

This could be interesting. The news identifies the victim as Milton Everett Olin Jr. When I google that name, I get a lawyer in California.

https://lawyers.findthebest.com/l/364...verett-Olin-Jr

If he's a lawyer I don't think the police will be able to ignore the incident without quite a fight.

ItsJustMe

I assume there is video from the police cruiser. Assuming it isn't "lost somehow."

rydabent

First of all Im sorry for the cyclist family. But as someone stated the whole weight of the department and lawyers will somehow make the cyclist at fault. The cop wont do time or be fired. As usual the only recourse the family will have is a wrongful death law suit in civil court. In this case I hope the family gets a huge settlement.

spivonious

Pathetic. Police officers are supposed to examples to the rest of society, yet far too often they fail to meet that expectation.

How do you just ram into someone in the middle of the day? I really hope that the media gets access to the video from the car.

wphamilton

What blows my mind is the Sheriff's Department expressing their sympathy. "“It’s very tough when we’re involved in an incident like this because it’s our job to protect the people and help people and we’re obviously very sad that something like this has happened”

Apparently their "sympathy" is for the deputy's feelings, that he was "involved" with something that just happened. About the cyclist, his family and friends, other cyclists who could just as easily be in the same situation in the cruiser crosshairs? Nothing. All the euphemisms and excuses already being presented. Glass that "broke from the impact of the collision", meaning the body bashing into his windshield? Speed was not a factor but he couldn't avoid running him down in the bike lane?

I wasn't there, and I haven't been in LA since 1983, but it looks to me like something is seriously wrong with that Sheriff's Department.

Chaco

It appears they have an excellent media ally with the Ventura County Star.

FenderTL5

Let me get this straight, he was riding in the same direction, and the cyclist crashed his bike into the front of the patrol car?
I'm trying to figure out just how that can happen.

10 Wheels

Most likey written from the sheriff department.

dynodonn 

Looking at the section of roadway that the cyclist was riding on, one narrow traffic lane, shouldered center median, gutter bike lane, 45mph posted speed limit......autocentricity at it's best.

Chris516

I am thinking the same thing. Even if the cyclist was weaving, that is no excuse for hitting him even accidentally. Because the LA County Sheriffs' Deputy could have said something on the patrol vehicle's PA system. Even then, since the officer was not saying anything on the patrol car's, he should not have been in such a rush. Since he didn't have his lights n' sirens on at the time.

FBinNY 

This is definitely a needless tragedy, in all probability caused by inattention. But it's too soon to jump on the conspiracy bandwagon. I know that here on BF all motorists who hit bicyclists are criminals, but I prefer to wait on facts before jumping to conclusions.

BTW- people get hit all the time while not on the road. One of the number one causes of death for police is being hit by cars while standing or parked on the shoulder. Not making excuses, just saying that it's too soon to trot out the conspiracy theories. As someone pointed out, the car was probably equipped with a dash cam, and that may provide more info.

Matariki

They seem to have altered their story.

Law enforcement officers are very prone to distractions related to their activities. In this case, though, there should be good logs of what things he was dealing with at the time of the collision.

Matariki

I can see this happening, but is it true. Do you have any good references of this, I'd like to read them.

Spinning is not only for cyclists, you know.

genec

Conspiracy theory or not... it always amazes me that someone can hit someone else RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM.

No doubt speeding, inattention and complacency all play a part. Oh yeah, and "the cyclist swerved."

Too bad the CA 3 foot law doesn't go into effect until Sept 2014.

FBinNY 

I'm really curious bout the new slant. I don't see how a cyclist can hit a car, but the physical evidence will tell the story. Damage to front of police car and back of bicycle means car hit bike, damage to back or car and pushed back fork on bike, means car hit bike (unless car was in reverse, which happened to me once). Damage to the side of the car is muddier, but inferences can be drawn through reconstruction.

I really hope the DA and interested parties are doing whatever they can to secure and protect all physical evidence. In cases like this I distrust the testimony of involved parties, and even witnesses who tend to see what they want to see. If there's any loss of physical evidence, it'll be hard to not suspect some kind of conspiracy and coverup.

Chris516

Mulholland Highway looks fine to me, as far being able to navigate it while ignoring any semblance of a bike lane. Which doesn't say much for the Sheriffs' Deputy. Because that looks like mid-suburbs. Also, I didn't see a lot of commercial real estate. It is only on one side of Mulholland Highway. So the Sheriffs' Deputy would only have to avoid traffic entering from one side of Mulholland Highway. I guess the name of the road, is supposed to justify the 45mph speed limit.

walrus1

If the video footage exonerates or lessens the blame it will magically appear. Otherwise it's amazing how often the police lose those pesky little things.

Chris516

Even more of a reason, to make a backup copy.

Dunbar

Here's the Google street view I image I posted in the SoCal forum. It looks to me like they narrowed a standard traffic lane to fit a bike lane. The collision happened to the right of median in the picture where most cars are going to move over to avoid clipping the raised curb on the median.