johnny99

Brief article in the Mercury-News: https://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14311042

Los Gatos: Bicyclist dies after Chevy Blazer rollover crash

By Mark Gomez

mgomez@mercurynews.com
Posted: 02/01/2010 11:56:39 AM PST
Updated: 02/01/2010 12:26:59 PM PST

A male bicyclist in his 20s was killed this morning after being struck by a Chevy Blazer on Lark Avenue in Los Gatos, according to police.

The collision, which occurred near Garden Hill Drive, was first reported to police about 8:50 a.m., according to Sgt. Kerry Harris. Upon their arrival, officers found a witness to the collision performing CPR on the bicyclist and assisted in those efforts, Harris said. Fire paramedics who who arrived later declared the bicyclist dead at the scene, Harris said.

The driver of the Chevy, which rolled over during the collision, was taken to Valley Medical Center with unknown injuries, Harris said.

Based on their preliminary investigation, police say both the bicyclist and motorist were traveling eastbound on Lark Avenue at the time of the collision. Police are at the hospital this morning and waiting for the chance to interview the driver, Harris said.

Los Gatos police are expected to remain at the scene of the collision into the afternoon. The CHP has closed a stretch of eastbound Lark Avenue, as well as the Lark off-ramps from northbound and southbound Highway 17.

rumrunn6

rollover? wow? sounds terrible. that looks like a busy intersection

https://maps.google.com/maps?near=Lar...02068&t=h&z=19

johnny99

The article says both the bicyclist and SUV were heading in the same direction, so they may not have been in an intersection.

djconnel

Not so nasty eastbound, the direction of the SUV driver and the cyclist were each going.

Streetview leading to the intersection.

Wow -- that's a lot of damage to an SUV for 30 mph....



It's been reported there was heavy traffic and the SUV was advancing at high speed along the shoulder.

djconnel

Not so nasty eastbound, the direction of the SUV driver and the cyclist were each going.

Streetview leading to the intersection.

Wow -- that's a lot of damage to an SUV for 30 mph....



It's been reported there was heavy traffic and the SUV was advancing at high speed along the shoulder.

johnny99

I watched the video on the CBS web site. The speaker (I assume a police detective) says the bicyclist was on the sidewalk when he was hit. Unknown if he was riding his bike on the sidewalk or was standing on the sidewalk off his bike (witnesses suggest the latter). The SUV left the roadway and drove up on to the sidewalk before it hit the bicyclist. Pretty scary.

johnny99

More details here: https://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/02/01...-in-los-gatos/
The bicyclist is identified as Joshua West, a 28-year-old Los Gatos resident.

Police Sergent Harris said the driver had apparently been driving at a speed "inconsistent with the flow of the intersection" before losing control in the right-turn lane.

Beaker

Another tragedy - sounds as though the driver was either fleeing from something, or maybe had a stroke/passed out? Whatever the cause, the end result is still terrible.

johnny99

More details in the Mercury-News this morning: https://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_14311042

The bicyclist was on the sidewalk. The SUV was speeding when it jumped the curb and crashed through a safety barricade before it hit the bicyclist. There were no skid marks. The bicyclist was a single father.

johnny99

According to NBC, the SUV driver has been arrested for vehicular manslaughter: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local...-83350577.html

rumrunn6

wow, that is just outrageous

gpelpel

Tragic, indeed!

johnny99

Wells Fargo Bank has set up a "Joshua West Memorial Fund" to help care for his 7-year-old daughter.

kster

Any details on how to send money?

johnny99

You should be able to bring a check to any Wells Fargo Bank branch office.

KTVU says there is also a PayPal account: https://www.ktvu.com/news/22409673/detail.html

msincredible

That's terrible, RIP Joshua.

HIPCHIP

Pretty much every car I've encountered has given me room, except for an SUV that passed by me within inches of me. Nobody else on the whole road. Wonder if it's a coincidence with SUV's?

msincredible

Visibility tends to be poorer for the driver in SUV's versus other typical cars.

UmneyDurak

Plus most drivers have no elfing idea how enormous their mini tank is.

sauerwald

I have noticed that drivers here (I am living in San Jose) tend to be much better at giving me room than they were on the east coast - one exception has been the large articulated busses that VTA runs, they sometimes pass very close.

bigbenaugust 

I heard that they arrested the guy on KLIV this morning. I believe it was vehicular manslaughter charges.

Behold, a source: https://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-...nclick_check=1

Here's to hoping they throw the book at him. So few people in a car realize the kinetic energy that they are manipulating with an ever-shrinking portion of their attention and its potential as a destructive weapon.

Dchiefransom

I can park mine in the compact car spaces and be further in than many compacts.

UmneyDurak

That is why I said most. That being said, compact car spaces are you know for compact cars. I hate when people park their SUVs there, almost no room to get out, and high chance them hitting the side of the car when they open the door.

kster

Compact spaces = ding me.

I always try to park way in the back (with my small car).

bigbossman 

Some poor fellow has died, gentlemen. Do we really want to turn this thread into a SUV/anti-SUV parking debate?