cdp8

They caught the hit and run bastard that killed Dr. Campion.

https://www.coronadelmartoday.com/310...un-of-cyclist/

The article also details another accident involving a female cyclist last Thursday on PCH west of Dover:

A female bicyclist was struck by a truck pulling a fifth wheel trailer. The preliminary investigation indicates that the truck was traveling westbound on West Coast Highway, as it passed the cyclist the rear right portion of the truck clipped the handlebars of the bicycle, causing the cyclist to fall. The female cyclist suffered serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital. Her condition is unknown at this time.

Two fatal and one serious injury accidents involving female cyclists in Newport Beach in one three day period. Just awful.

cdp8

The Daily Pilot ran nice pieces on Sarah Leaf and Dr. Campion.

https://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dp...,3921513.story

https://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dp...,5025410.story

Pamestique 

People wonder why I have embraced mountain biking ...Sure there are hazards - ruts, ledges, steep descents etc but all are controllable by the rider. Cars, we have no control and unfortunately since bikes must travel in the same direction as cars, we can't really see what's coming up behind us even with mirrors. Pretty much I won't ride PCH anymore. If I have to, I use the side walk as much as possible (yes I know - not suppose to but my safety comes first). Too many ignorant drivers out there anymore - in a hurry, texting, cell phones, kids acting up, don't know laws and rules... just too many hazards.

I love riding on the road however and I won't stop. I just know I am a target at any time of the day and any place I ride. We all need to realize that.

All of these people hurt or killed...it's so sad and tragic... and so, so senseless...

BTW a number of years ago I was injured on Ocean Blvd in Long Beach. I was in the bike lane and a motorist hauling a big boat going too fast, the boat clipped me and I flew off the bike, thankfully onto the grass easement. The motorist did stop and told police he thought I knew he was pulling a big boat and would get off the street in time... what? Really? That is the mentality out there... I would hate to see the streets littered with ghost bike memorials...

Biker395 

I hear you. I ride at least 10,000 miles in an average year. Most of it is on dedicated bike paths or country roads. On those country roads, I delude myself into thinking that with a rear view mirror, I can see the danger coming and bail out if necessary. I say "delude" because I know a number of people who are no longer with us who thought the same thing. The simple reality is that it IS dangerous, and getting more so every year.

I remember reading long ago that getting injured or killed by being struck from behind was quite uncommon ... most of the crashes were from the front or the side. It may be from only anecdotal evidence, but I call BS on that one. Maybe it's all the texting and distracted driving. Maybe people are drinking more ... I dunno. But it sure scares the crap outta me.

Not enough to stop, though. Spending my years on the couch working on a good case of heart disease is a much grimmer fate, IMHO.

Pamestique 

I belong to the "Head Injury" Club. There are 5 of us women who all have major head injuries and resulting issues. Two of my friends have very serious disorders - one has seizures and the other severe loss of mental functioning. I am the only exception but all the others were struck from behind. The two worse were actually riding in a large group (my one friend during AMTRAK). We all used mirrors but you can't be looking in a mirror 100% of the time. That is actually how my injury occurred, I was checking my mirror and didn't see the defect in the road surface. I hit the defect and was tossed, head first, off my bike.

Anyway... all I can say its a scary world out there anymore - drunk drivers are on the roads, morning, noon and nights. Young drivers (under 18) are taking over the roads and they text (old people can't text - we can't see those small letters). Just the other day I watched a kid weave in and out of the bike lane on Harvard. When I pulled up to him he was texting. People,including myself, are just too distracted by many things - life is so complicated. Orange County used to be mainly farm roads and quiet lanes but now is the land of High density living. Even with good bike landes, Irvine can be a nightmare to ride through - thank goodness for bike trails. Again roads are there for cars and bike alike, but we riders just need t stay especially alert - like i said, I don't want to see the streets lined with white bikes.

cdp8

They threw the book at the H&R perp who killed Dr. Campion...

Suspect Michael Jason Lopez, male Hispanic, 39 year old resident of Anaheim was arrested for 192 (c)(1) PC- Vehicular Manslaughter with Gross Negligence around 02:00 this morning in Anaheim.He was booked at the Newport Beach Police Jail and is being held on $100,000 bail. Investigators are pursuing investigative leads and, in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation, the Department will not release any further information at this time.

That was from OCBC.org. I assume they must have some evidence to indicate drinking/drugs/texting to go for that severe of a charge. I also assume they will add the felony H&R charge at his arraignment.

Elvo

They may have caught him!

https://www.ocregister.com/news/hit-3...ort-beach.html

cdp8

Us recreational and transit cyclists aren't the only ones getting killed out there. 23 year-old Victor Cabedo of Euskaltel-Euskadi was hit by a car and killed today in Spain.

https://velonews.competitor.com/2012/...n-spain_239157

Jan Feetz

Update on this:

https://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dpt-0920-lopez-20120919,0,413682.story

TJClay

So if he's convicted he faces a MAXIMUM of 8 years in prison? That's it? That's really sad that you can kill someone only get 8 years in prison. I'm pretty sure if that was my wife i'd be waiting for him when he was released to give him a warm welcome and make him wish he was never released.

eja_ bottecchia

How much do you want to bet that Mr. Lopez has no driver's license, no insurance and was driving with an expired registration?

eja_ bottecchia

The OC District Attorney's Office has already assigned a prosecutor to the case, Nancy Hayashida. Ms. Hayashida is a UCLA graduate and a graduate of Loyola Law School.

Here is the link: https://www.orangecountyda.com/home/i...asp%3Fpage%3D8

I strongly encourage concerned cyclists, especially those of you who reside in the OC, to contact the DA's Office and/or Ms. Hayashida and let her know how strongly you feel about vigorous prosecutions of these type of cases.

The last thing we want, as cyclists, is for these types of cases to be swept under the rug or to be pled away to some less serious charges.

May our fellow cyclists RIP.

May you all be safe out there.

Bobsled

Anything else, like being ugly?

eja_ bottecchia

Not sure what your comment is supposed to mean. Statistically, aq high percentage of drivers who are involved in a H&R don't carry insurance, have expired driver's license (or no license) and their vehicle's registration is expired. This is one of the reasons why they run and leave the scene of the accident.

They are also stupid, because what could have been just an accident has now turned into felony H & R.

Compare Mr. Lopez's cowardly actions to the actions of the driver in the other accident--he remained at the scene of hte accident and cooperated with police. So far, there are no criminal charges pending against the other driver.

Any other comments that you would like to add?

Biker395 

Looks like Ms. Hayashida is very experienced with this kind of case.

idoru2005

Yeah, you also forgot to mention that he probably has no papers to be in this country? Anyway sounds like that was what you were trying to get at but didn't want to sound racist.

Bobsled

My thought exactly.

Jed19

My hunch is he was loaded (drunk or under the influence of drugs) at the time of the accident. That was probably why he fled. I have heard that loaded drivers who get into this kind of accidents are better off fleeing, so as to avoid the harsher penalty associated with DUIs.

Could be wrong, but that is my hunch.

If that is the case, then our legisaltors need to fix this DUI loophole.

The real sad part of this case is that this lowlife killed a great human being (from the description of all who knew her) on a road that has a wide cycling lane. Just sad.

eja_ bottecchia

That's a pretty stupid remark on your part since you know nothing about me.

First of all IF I wanted to be racist, I wouldn't *****foot about it. I am not afraid of the PC police nor am I afraid of pseudo liberals strutting about with the "racist" word on their lips, ready to be used on a second's notice. If I want to make a racist remark, I damned well know how to without all the subterfuge.

Second, I AM Hispanic...so to hurl racist accusations at me because I commented on Mr. Lopez possible lack of a driver's license, insurance and/or registration is just plain muy estupido. Comprendes compadre?

Third, and perhaps more to the point, I am a prosecutor (though not in the OC). I have prosecuted (and filed) many cases similar to this. A common thread on a majority of H&R cases is a lack of a valid license, no insurance, and no registration. And yes, in many cases the suspect is here illegally--that provides him/her with the incentive to run and perhaps flee the state/country until things cool down.

You would really do well to check out your facts before going around accusing anyone of being a racist.

Or to paraphrase a common saying, "it is better to have people think that you are an idiot, than to open your mouth (or click on your keyboard) and remove all doubt."

Ten un buen dia amigo.

eja_ bottecchia

And your thought be wrong, again. Read my reply to idoru's comments.

Care to go deeper into the hole that you have already dug yourself into?

eja_ bottecchia

That's another possibility. This is especially true if he has a prior conviction for DUI. In that case he could be charged, under some circumstances, with second degree murder which carries a stiffer penalty than vehicular manslaughter.

The penalty for felony H&R is pretty stiff, however.

TrojanHorse

Yeah, when you're in traffic like that you should absolutely be single file and you're correct about where you should have been.

However... had you been where you said you should have been, he would have driven the EXACT SAME PATH anyway. I don't know what it is about white pickups - the last car that reacted negatively to me cycling on a road (which was largely empty except for me and... wait for it.. a whilte pickup)

Beachgrad05

He had the room to do the path he did....but we were creating a situation where a right hook could happen. he yelled at us as he passed AND as the truck continued on the transition....we could not hear any of what he was yelling tho...what is ironic is that our club organizer is the one in yellow in the video. She knows better. And she got on me toward end of the ride for what she deemed something unsafe (tho I disagree with her on what she said we should do)....

skidder

Beachgrad05: Looks like you were at the NORTH end of the 'Mariners Mile' area, as that's the Newport Blvd overpass above you - Sarah Leaf's accident was just after the south end of the Mariner's Mile area. The streets are pretty 'tight' going through there mid-day. Not a lot of traffic when I tend to do that early on the weekends.

FWIW: If it was me I would have stayed in the 'hatch-painted' area until the overpass, then looked over my shoulder and cross over when it was clear. But that's me riding solo. Tough to say how a group should ride through that stretch.

volosong

Sheech! What a dangerous place to ride. No wonder people are getting hit. What your video shows is not bicycle friendly at all.