Northern California - Another cyclist killed in "accident"

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/21/BASK12G2E8.DTL&feed=rss.bayareaAn Antioch bicyclist who was struck by a 15-year-old girl learning how to drive has died, authorities said today.

Ralph Cherry Jr., 23, was riding west in the bike lane of Davison Drive in Antioch about 11 a.m. Tuesday when he was hit by an SUV driven by the girl, Antioch police said.

The girl was driving on a learner's permit with her grandfather, who has a license, police said. For reasons that have not yet been determined, the girl lost control of the SUV and struck Cherry, authorities said.

Cherry was flown by helicopter to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where he died at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, the Contra Costa County coroner's office said.I hate it that we live in a country where you can kill a cyclist and then just say "Accident" and all is OK.
In my recent memory we've had a man mow down a cyclist who was waiting at a light in Walnut Creek-- nothing happened
A deputy plow through cyclists -- nothing happened
Now this.

I'm even more rattled because it's just a couple of miles from my house. I ride that road often. I may have been on that road that very day. My wife crosses it every day on her (bike) commute. I'm finely getting our daughter to ride to Los Medanos College for her classes.

I read the comments in SF Gate. It's just depressing. Ralph Cherry and his family get very little love and respect. Instead I'm reading:
Accident, oh well...
What do cyclists expect, clogging up the road and all...
The driver will carry this her whole life (like that makes it OK)


I'll stop ranting now. I'm just really upset.

I agree with you. Regardless of accident or not, at the least involuntary manslaughter charges should be brought.

There's a lot they have to prove on the involuntary manslaughter bit.

In the sheriff deputy case - they did bring him up on charges. He's still in court right?

IMO, if she just made a mistake, it's just a horrible accident. Unfortunately, when you ride your bike, or doing anything on public roads, you're putting your life in the hands of the other road users, and bad stuff can happen :(.

Unfortunately, when you ride your bike, or doing anything on public roads, you're putting your life in the hands of the other road users, and bad stuff can happen :(.

A sad but true statement right there. This is the whole reason why I hate riding on the shoulder of roads. I have been wanting to get a road bike for some time now, but everytime I read one of these stories I appreciate my mountain bike even more.

23 years old. SUCKS. Hopefully, the 15 y.o. driver will have this affect her the rest of her life and she'll never drive and instead become a cyclist and cycling advocate.

IMO, the grandfather should be sent up the river since he is responsible for the learner's driving.

There's a lot they have to prove on the involuntary manslaughter bit.

In the sheriff deputy case - they did bring him up on charges. He's still in court right?

IMO, if she just made a mistake, it's just a horrible accident. Unfortunately, when you ride your bike, or doing anything on public roads, you're putting your life in the hands of the other road users, and bad stuff can happen :(.

It's tragic but we personalize it more because it involved a bike rider. It reminds us of our vulnerabilities and close calls we've had.

150+ people died yesterday in a fiery plane crash... no bike riders were involved, people will continue to get on airplanes.

Curtis, I know what you mean. I feel like I'm not seen as a person, just a bicycle, an impediment. I only hope no one drives over me to get to their destination faster. What will it take to get the public at large to react? I wish I knew.

What a sad waste on all counts.

Do not read the comments on SF GATE of ANY cycling related story. They are always filled with hate towards cyclists, even when there is no place for it, such as the deputy or this story.

I want to know if it was truly an accident. Of course, she did not run him down on purpose, but was she watching the road? How can one lose control of a vehicle that severely? No one will kill a pedestrian or cyclist and then say "well honestly i wasn't paying attention". No, they will always say it is an accident and they will always get away with it because for some reason we just like to take people's word for it. That is the really crazy aspect of the whole story.
Hopefully there will be some kind of investigation and the girl will get punished.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/21/BASK12G2E8.DTL&feed=rss.bayareaAn Antioch bicyclist who was struck by a 15-year-old girl learning how to drive has died, authorities said today.

Ralph Cherry Jr., 23, was riding west in the bike lane of Davison Drive in Antioch about 11 a.m. Tuesday when he was hit by an SUV driven by the girl, Antioch police said.

The girl was driving on a learner's permit with her grandfather, who has a license, police said. For reasons that have not yet been determined, the girl lost control of the SUV and struck Cherry, authorities said.

Cherry was flown by helicopter to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where he died at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, the Contra Costa County coroner's office said.I hate it that we live in a country where you can kill a cyclist and then just say "Accident" and all is OK.
In my recent memory we've had a man mow down a cyclist who was waiting at a light in Walnut Creek-- nothing happened
A deputy plow through cyclists -- nothing happened
Now this.

I'm even more rattled because it's just a couple of miles from my house. I ride that road often. I may have been on that road that very day. My wife crosses it every day on her (bike) commute. I'm finely getting our daughter to ride to Los Medanos College for her classes.

I read the comments in SF Gate. It's just depressing. Ralph Cherry and his family get very little love and respect. Instead I'm reading:
Accident, oh well...
What do cyclists expect, clogging up the road and all...
The driver will carry this her whole life (like that makes it OK)


I'll stop ranting now. I'm just really upset.
That senile @$@#$@$ got off?!? He killed a great cyclist, and severely injured another, because he "saw something". RRRRRR. :mad:

I want to know if it was truly an accident. Of course, she did not run him down on purpose, but was she watching the road? How can one lose control of a vehicle that severely? No one will kill a pedestrian or cyclist and then say "well honestly i wasn't paying attention". No, they will always say it is an accident and they will always get away with it because for some reason we just like to take people's word for it. That is the really crazy aspect of the whole story.
Hopefully there will be some kind of investigation and the girl will get punished.

I have a friend back in Michigan that was driving, swerved to avoid a car that ran a stop sign, caught some gravel and killed a pedestrian on the side walk. He got 11 months and 29 days for vehicular manslaughter - and it was the fault of the person who ran the stop sign. Anyone who's at fault should get real prison time (1 yr+), such as the grandpa in this story (juvee for the girl till she's 18 and no license should be adequate in theory)

I hate it that we live in a country where you can kill a cyclist and then just say "Accident" and all is OK.Cyclist or not. Killing another person, regardless of either party's mode of transportation or the situation, should carry serious repercussions, intentional or not, avoidable or not. Of course the severity of the punishment depends on the circumstances, but the situation should never close with "whoops".

No punishment means no harm was done.

It's tragic but we personalize it more because it involved a bike rider. It reminds us of our vulnerabilities and close calls we've had.

I get that. I just think that immediately calling for the girl to be brought up on charges is absurd. We don't have all the facts, and sometimes, accidents happen. As I said, provided the girl wasn't being careless or doing something obviously stupid, I don't see the point in wasting her life by putting her in prison for years and years.

What a crappy story. At least the report hasn't come out that "The cyclist suddenly swerved into the roadway". That one usually sends me past my boiling point. But its a great defense right? His head SUDDENLY and without cause SWERVED towards my FOOT? I couldn't avoid the impact. GAH!!

It didn't make the news that I saw but if you noticed the flags at firestations at half mass was because a firefighter was killed... on his bicycle. It was a couple weeks ago, out near Patterson Pass when he was hit by a motorcycle. I don't have any details on it, I was talking to a firefighter at a stop light today and it came up briefly when a motorcycle buzzed us.

Very sad story.. In a way, its a risk we take, be it on our bikes or in our cars. Anything set up for the family?? 23?? man.. baby.

The newspaper article never calls the crash an "accident". The word "accident" implies that no one is at fault. If the driver was not competent to drive that kind of vehicle, then there is negligence on the part of the driver and (when underage) the parents as well. Intentionally killing someone is premeditated murder. Unintentionally killing due to negligence is still a serious crime.