6/7/2014 afternoon bicyclist Rubin Pina Herrera, 57 was killed after he swerved/fell from the sidewalk into the roadway. Continue reading “Cyclist fell off sidewalk, and fatally struck by semi-truck”
Tag: cyclist fatality
Catch-all 2013 Bicyclist Fatalities
Holding post for all 2013 AZ bicyclist fatalities not listed elsewhere on azbikelaw.org
10/8/2013 Victim’s name not known (to me)
odd not in news(?). Phx 13001797758, acr available. Heavy truck ran red light; in an oddly open-and-shut case (“Seven witnesses reported [truck] ran red light”), ACR shows driver charged w/causing death by moving violation; driver plead guilty M-0741-4735532
| 10/8/2013 | 1726 | Gabriel Robles Tapia, was INVISIBLE | 43/M | Phoenix / Maricopa | Union Hills Dr & 39th Ave | 65/M | (heavy) truck | odd not in news(?). Phx 13001797758, acr available. Heavy truck ran red light; in an oddly open-and-shut case (“Seven witnesses reported [truck] ran red light”), ACR shows driver charged w/causing death by moving violation; driver plead guilty M-0741-4735532 | 2767671 | click | 10/8/2013 17:26:00 | MARICOPA | PHOENIX | 201301797758 | DAYLIGHT | 0 | Union Hills Dr | 39th Ave |
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Gilbert cyclist killed on charity ride
[UPDATE Aug 29, 2014 Verde Independent is reporting County Attorney has decided there will be no (criminal) charges, though the article mentions the driver “was ordered to be re-tested by the Motor Vehicle Division”. The relatively long delay was apparently awaiting driver’s toxicology results. The reporter didn’t mention in the article, but the driver was cited and plead responsible to a 28-735 violation in VV justice court TR-20144749. The online records don’t mention the amount of fine, that is whether or not the enhanced penalty of up to $1,000 was levied]
[UPDATE: July 29, 2014 Case against driver is still being reviewed by the County Attorney’s office. Also the victim’s surname was corrected: Hartline, not Hareline]
This lane appears to be clearly too narrow to share safely side-by-side with another vehicle RIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF NARROW LANES FOR YOUR OWN PROTECTION — this is not only legal, but recommended as best practice by all traffic safety experts. Note that this doesn’t change the driver’s responsibility — the driver is clearly responsible for causing this type of crash; the operator of the overtaking vehicle always has a duty to perform the maneuver safely, not to mention the 3-foot minimum. Later news stories said the location was more specifically Cornville Road just west of Beaverhead Flats Rd. Continue reading “Gilbert cyclist killed on charity ride”
Man killed in Scottsdale collision
Details from news stories are vague; occurred 3/14/2014 ~ 5:30pm (daylight). “Investigators say Moeckel drifted into the traffic lane just before he was hit”. The victim’s was 71-year-old Larry Moeckel. The story doesn’t say but one would guess the collision occurred on Pima Road somewhere south of Dixileta Drive (since another news story said Pima was closed between Dixileta and Dyanamite Blvd). No direction was specified. Google maps view of Pima Road and Dixileta Drive. Continue reading “Man killed in Scottsdale collision”
Phoenix police make hit-run arrest in death of BMX rider
So this is unusual; the driver of an ATV struck and killed a cyclist who was riding a BMX-style bicycle. I was curious to look up the leaving-the-scene statutes (28-661) to see where the law applies; if it was in fact off-road, the article doesn’t really specify… 28-621 seems to indicate H&R doesn’t apply off-road, see this comment.
The incident occurred about 5 p.m. near 56th Street and Happy Valley Road 12/17/2013 and won’t “count” as a traffic fatality if it was off-road. For now, I’ve tagged it non-traffic-fatality
Phoenix police make arrest in death of BMX rider
Phoenix police have arrested a man who investigators believe collided with a BMX rider in the desert last week and fled the scene on his ATV.
The BMX rider later, Frisco Davidson-Spurs Yankolovich, died from his injuries and police began a search for the ATV driver that ended Monday with the arrest of 47-year-old Gregg Creevy, police said. Continue reading “Phoenix police make hit-run arrest in death of BMX rider”
El Tour de Tucson rider killed in collision
11/24/2013 ~ 5:20pm: El Tour rider John S. Henderson was struck and killed while riding in “the El Tour bike lane” when he was struck from behind by a driver; authorities believe the driver may have suffered some sort of medical emergency causing him to lose control. The crash occurred eastbound on the Interstate 10 frontage road near Sunset Road, Tucson. This section appears to have a very wide shoulder, and some news stories mentioned cones, which I would surmise is what was meant by calling it an “El Tour bike lane”.
Continue reading “El Tour de Tucson rider killed in collision”
Tucson bicyclist killed on Golf Links Road
Crossing doesn’t sound correct… how can an eastbound unit that crashed into a westbound unit be “crossing”? Also the area has raised medians; making crossing difficult other than at intersections; but the police/fire describe it as happening on a particular road near another, i.e. not at an intersection. (updated from adot crash data: this was just a staight-up intersection crash; cyclist failed to yield at a, i guess, stop sign)….
10/5/2013 “evening” (dark, one guesses?) E Golf Links Rd and Calle Yucatan.
Tucson bicyclist dead after riding in front of SUV
A 71-year-old man (Thomas Ferrer) riding a bicycle in Tucson has been killed after riding directly into the path of an oncoming SUV Tucson police say the man was struck Saturday evening while crossing a major thoroughfare on the city’s south side. He was taken to a hospital but did not survive. Police spokeswoman Sgt. Maria Hawke says investigators found the bicyclist was riding across east golf Links road and rode right into the path of the westbound sport utility vehicle. The SUV driver wasn’t hurt.
SENTENCING: Barrow’s Neurologist killed by hit-and-run Driver
[Update 2018 & 2019: Linsk got pulled over AGAIN for driving on a suspended/revoked license; wtf? Is this guy a bad driver or what? I got a ticket once THIRTY YEARS AGO. Anyway, TR2019-139024 File Date: 8/19/2019; McDowell Mountain Justice Court; guilty.
TR2018-156438 File Date: 11/20/2018; West Mesa Justice Court; speeding and no license; dismissed on motion of prosecutor (why?) ]
[ Update 2014: Linsk got pulled over and arrested AGAIN after serving his trivial sentence, 12/17/2014: Driving on suspended license: TR2014159525000, East Mesa Justice Court , a citation for unsafe lane change (presumably the reason he was pulled over) were dismissed. ] Continue reading “SENTENCING: Barrow’s Neurologist killed by hit-and-run Driver”
Bicyclist Killed after AJ Collision
The victim was a male in his 70’s. 09/05/2013 time ~ 0530.
Superstition Blvd, near Pinyon. From the news video, it doesn’t appear to be at any intersection.
Cyclist killed in Carefree
News reports describe it as a classic left-cross (northbound driver makes a left at intersection; colliding with southbound cyclist). In bicyclist crash types, this is called a type “212 – Motorist Left Turn—Opposite Direction”. Continue reading “Cyclist killed in Carefree”
Mesa Police seek driver of white SUV in fatal hit-and-run
[Update: McIver sentenced in August 2014 after pleading guilty last month; short story is 5 years prison for manslaughter plus 4 years probation. All CR2014000974 case minutes (sentencing minute is dated 8/22/2104). Also see Bar Receipts used to Indict… , which is interesting in that the case was proven with circumstantial evidence of drunkeness; though it was obviously not stron enough to seek 2nd degree murder charges, which is routine for drunk drivers who negligently kill someone. Thus the plea deal to manslaughter. Also MCAO issued a press release, sortof unusual.]
[ Update: SUSPECT ARRESTED 8/20/2013 abc15.com “Mesa police Sgt. Tony Landato said 36-year-old Matthew S. McIver is being booked on manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident” ]
azcentral.com updated 8/14/2013 ~ 1PM Mesa police identified the victim of a fatal hit-and-run collision as Richard B. Welck, 68, who was riding a tricycle when he was apparently struck from behind by an SUV on Tuesday night. Welck was riding east in the 8000 block of East Ray Road at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday when he was struck from behind by the SUV, which also was headed east, according to Mesa police. Sgt. Tony Landato, a police spokesman, said evidence at the scene suggests that the SUV is possibly a white 2003-2005 Saturn Vue. Landato said police made an “exhaustive’’ check of the area but were unable to locate the SUV. Police are asking the public for help in identifying the vehicle and the driver. Anyone with information is asked to call police at (480) 644-2211.
The area where Welck was killed by the driver has a particularly wide designated bike lane; this is tagged “drifted”.
myfoxphoenix.com: more info at this news story. The victim was a 68 year old male. He was riding an adult tricycle blue in color.
IF YOU COME ACROSS THE SUV, call the Mesa Police at (480) 644-2211 or by calling Silent Witness at (480) WITNESS, you can remain anonymous
azcentral.com: Police say a bicyclist in his mid-60s was killed Tuesday night (8/13/2013) in a hit-and-run collision in Mesa. Mesa police Sgt. Tony Landato said police are looking for a white SUV with front-end damage, possibly a Saturn Vue, in connection with the incident near Sossoman and Ray roads…
I’m adding the circumstantial tag, this is a bit of a twist, it’s about how they got him to plead guilty to manslaughter, using video surveillance of bars he had been at, and receipts. rather than direct proof (e.g. field sobriety tests, blood test, etc):
Craig Penrod, a veteran East Valley attorney who represents defendants accused of driving under the influence, said there have been past attempts by police to reconstruct the actions of defendants but he has not heard of police using an estimated blood alcohol content level in the past.
“You would need a lot of details to reconstruct a BAC without any sort of chemical test,’’ Penrod said. “It sounds pretty far-fetched to me.’’
“I have never heard of them putting together a BAC based on circumstantial evidence,’’ he said.
Phoenix police, however, were able to obtain enough evidence to arrest two defendants who also are accused of fleeing the scene after they struck and killed victims. Witnesses, a surveillance video obtained from a liquor store, cell phone records and physical evidence eventually linked Jesus Cabrera Molina to the May 19 death of Officer Daryl Raetz, who was processing a DUI case at 51st and Cambridge avenues when he was run down. Cabrera also was accused of manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatality.
Christopher Chevalier was accused of the same charges, plus tampering with evidence, in the March 5 death of Anna Blaze, who was struck by an Alfa Romeo while she walked on a sidewalk with a friend at Northern Avenue and 11th Street.
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Tucson bicyclist killed in collision with Semi
19-year-old bicyclist Albert Rich and the driver of a right-turning semi collided westbound Broadway Blvd at Campbell Ave, Tucson; Wed 7/3/2013 evening. A so-called “right hook” collision.
This comes on the heels of a ped struck in a Tucson crosswalk last week (June 28, 2013) but died the same day as Rich. “Eddie Sagastume was walking across East Grant Road at North Arcadia Avenue about 8 p.m. June 28… The intersection was lit and there was a marked crosswalk, police said.” azstarnet.com. Continue reading “Tucson bicyclist killed in collision with Semi”
Scottsdale Cyclist dies after hit-and-run crash
Below is chronological history of hit-and-run fatality w/DUI, incident occurred 1/13/2012 through sentencing.
The sentence is, apparently, from what we now know, typical. Despite what appear to be harsh penalties for any hit-and-run, the justice system (courts and prosecutors) ignore what appear to be minimum sentences; for example the felony 3 the driver plead guilty to carries a presumptive minimum of 3.5 years in prison, and a mandatory suspension of driver’s license from 5 to 10 years; and these penalties are to run in addition to any other penalties (in this case, the extreme DUI). In short, it appears nobody goes to prison for hit-and-run; the statutory penalties are a paper tiger.
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Suspected alcohol involved and hit-and-run driver who seriously injured bicyclist Steven Douglas Langager on January 13, 2012. Langager subsequent died from injuries sustained.
The driver’s name was never released in the media; Scottsdale PD PIO said the suspect in the “Jan collision included Roger Stevensen, 60 yrs old” (probably ROGER ALLAN STEVENSON, 05/1951).
He was subsequently indicted in September on charges of extreme DUI and felony H&R; the case is docketed as S-0700-CR-2012008319 Continue reading “Scottsdale Cyclist dies after hit-and-run crash”
Phoenix bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver Friday
Friday evening, 5/24/2013, suspect and vehicle are still at large as of Monday morning. Victim Norberto Martinez. Continue reading “Phoenix bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver Friday”
Bicyclist killed in Tucson hit-and-run was SunTran driver
05/23/2013 Bicyclist John Akers was struck and killed at the intersection of Mission and Irvington Road; this is near but outside of Tucson, and so Pima County Sheriff’s Office handled the investigation. The driver fled the scene. Akers was on his way to work around 3:30a as a SunTran driver. Deputies located a suspect vehicle and a suspect was arrested a few hours later. The bicyclist was northbound, and the motorist was eastbound — this is a signalized intersection. Bicyclist killed in Tucson hit-and-run was SunTran driver
tucsonvelo.com has reported that “Pima County Sheriff’s Deputy and BAC liaison Ryan Roher said via email that alcohol was involved. He said the suspect left the scene, but was later apprehended by Pima County deputies. According to Roher the cyclist was wearing a helmet and witnesses indicate the cyclist was riding ‘within the law.’ ”
The Criminal Case
Pima County Superior Court case CR20132547
UPDATED Jan 2014 tucsonvelo.com: “The driver who hit and killed John Akers, a SunTran driver who was cycling to work, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail, the Arizona Daily Star is reporting … Enrique F. Hernandez plead guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crash that caused a death as well as driving under the influence”…”Hernandez, 25, ran a stop light at Mission and Irvington roads where he plowed into John Akers, who was riding his bike to work. Hernandez then fled the scene”
If this bit from the azstar is correct: “Hernandez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the manslaughter charge and five years for leaving the scene of a deadly accident. Those prison terms will be served consecutively.” It is the ONLY sentence I’ve EVER seen where prison time will actually be served for hit-and-run.