A particularly egregious case (see article below, from local paper). Camino del Sur is my exit off of State Route-56, which is a relatively newly completed divided highway (2 lanes each way) running E-W and linking I-5 to I-15 in northern San Diego. It is almost incredible that a driver could be so incompetent as to pull a lethal stunt like this while cruising on this highway. No excuses here that I can see. If you drove along this stretch of road heading east you would be struck by how well designed this MUP is, well offset from the highway, up a significant slope from vehicular traffic and behind a tall metal fence (not that the latter buys you much ....). It is a well-used path and people thought it was completely safe ..... until this happened in the summer of 2011. I've cycled this path, it's a great way to get to the beach from where I live about 10 miles inland.

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A bicyclist who was killed Tuesday night when an out-of-control sport-utility vehicle careened into a bike path off state Route 56 in Rancho Peñasquitos was identified Wednesday by family and friends as Nick Venuto, 40, a bioenergy company executive and married father of two from Poway.

Another bicyclist who was struck in the accident was identified Wednesday by the California Highway Patrol as Baron Herdelin-Doherty, 51, of Solana Beach. He was named CEO and president of YMCA of San Diego County in October. Herdelin-Doherty was in critical condition Wednesday at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The driver of the 2003 Ford Escape SUV, identified by the CHP as Sheena Saranita, 27, of San Diego, was in good condition at the hospital, the spokeswoman said. She suffered minor injuries, the CHP said.

Herdelin-Doherty is married and the father of a college-age son, said YMCA spokeswoman Kristie Spalding. He is a triathlete and avid bicyclist who cycles five to seven times a week, Spalding said.

The accident happened about 6:20 p.m. Tuesday off eastbound SR-56 just past the Camino del Sur exit, west of Black Mountain Road.

Saranita was driving eastbound at an estimated 65 to 80 mph when she began to change lanes. She saw a vehicle in the far-right lane, overreacted and steered the SUV hard to the right, the CHP said. The SUV traveled up a 15-foot grassy embankment, plowed through a chain-link fence and overturned on the elevated bike path.

As the SUV overturned, it struck Venuto and Herdelin-Doherty. Venuto was pronounced dead at the scene by San Diego Fire-Rescue Department paramedics.

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Still makes me sick to think about it. RIP Nick Venuto.