UCLA Students Take Over Building in Protest of Fee Increase Vote
Jason Segel Sings His Phone Number at the Swell Season Last Night
BART Cop Murder Trial to Move to Downtown L.A., Lawyer Predicts More L.A. Riots
-thumb-110x110-459458.jpg)
Bouchon Amuses Our Bouches
Midnight Movie: VICE Explores LA's Hidden Urban Oil Wells
Randy Cruz was riding home from work when she was hit from behind by a motorist who then left her in the street as he drove off and hid in a parking lot.
Randy was lucky. She wasn't alone. She was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and received stitches to her head. She's in pain but she's in good spirits and in great company!
The motorist was apprehended as he hid and there are witnesses to the incident who contradict his version of the story, all of which give hope to some that there will be justice. On the other hand, many bemoan the fact that he was released and that the downed cyclist is responsible for filing charges. Is "Hit & Run" so difficult for the Police to handle on their own?
Randy is a member of the Midnight Ridazz Aid LifeCycle Team and is less than two weeks away from joining thousands of cyclists on a 545 mile ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, all in an effort to raise money "to end AIDS!"
Just last week, Randy joined the "Bike Instead of Work" ride and helped deliver the Cyclists' Bill of Rights to City Hall and Caltrans, all in a show of solidarity as cyclists call on the LA's leadership to deliver safe streets and equal protection from law enforcement.
Cyclists in LA have a long way to go but through it all Randy rides on, which only serves to remind us...
"These Streets were made for riding!"
Bike Lift at CalTrans on "Bike Instead of Work" day
Bike Lift at City Hall on "Bike Instead of Work" day
CalTrans Photo by T. Ritter
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I spoke to Detective Padilla of Central Traffic who had no idea that this incident had taken place.
I asked him how it was that a motorist could run down a cyclist from behind, leave a cyclist bleeding in the streets, drive away and hide in a parking lot, get caught, have his version of the incident get contradicted by a witness and then drive away.
Detective Padilla called back to report that he had the file and that there were no "hit and run" charges filed on the motorist.
The Driver pulled into a parking lot "because there was no street parking!" The first parking lot was a half-block away, he pulled in and was kicked out by security. The driver then moved to another parking lot where he was held by local security guards. The police arrived and statements were taken.
The motorist left the scene. The motorist failed to render aid. The motorist could have simply left the vehicle in place and protected the downed cyclist from traffic. But no. The motorist went looking for off-street parking?
With resignation in his voice Padilla says "If this case were to go to the City Attorney, there is no way that a case would get filed because we can't establish flight."
I urged Detective Padilla to push and to take it to the District Attorney and to the City Attorney. If the DA or the CA reject the case, it's up to us to push the DA and the CA to better fight for the rights of cyclists on the streets of Los Angeles.
Detective Padilla
213-972-1851
Detective Mapson (supervisor)
213-972-1840
This incident took place in Councilmember Jan Perry's District. You can call 213-473-7009 to let Councilmember Perry know that you want her support.
Kathy Godfrey is her Chief of Staff.
Some fun reading for all you out there chomping at the bit;
From the California Vehicle code available online at dmv.ca.gov..
Duty to Stop at Scene of Accident.
20001. (a) The driver of ( )1 a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to ( )1 a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of ( )1 a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident and shall fulfill the requirements of Sections 20003 and 20004.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d10/vc20001.htm
Operation of Bicycles.
21200. (a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this division,
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd11c1a4.htm
Having had a read through, I think im going to carry a copy in the backpack for the inevitable Car / Me incident. Hope your all well there Randy!
I'm so glad you're relatively okay Randy. I hope justice is served, that really pisses me off. Hit and run drivers shouldn't be allowed to drive anymore. Cars are transportation, but they are also deadly weapons, and people need to take resonciblity for their actions.
On a more positive note congrats on reaching your fundraising goal for AIDS LifeCycle today. Ride safe, and if you need any help the team is here for you.
Requirement to Render Aid
CVC 20003. (a) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury...shall render to any person injured in the accident reasonable assistance, including transporting, or making arrangements for transporting, any injured person to a physician, surgeon, or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that treatment is necessary or if that transportation is requested by any injured person.
what a douche bag driver.
I love the picture taken in front of the Star Destroyer building (CalTrans)
I see minor fender benders every other day stopping traffic, on of all places, the freeway but this person couldn't pull over and help a cyclist he just mowed over! That's ridiculous.
I hope she sues the driver for her medical expenses if the city won't press hit and run charges.
Civil suit? If the police report only states that she collided with a car, I wonder how good her chances are with that.
I know what you're thinking, "She didn't collide with a car!" The driver's lawyer would say that she did.
Maybe intstead of a civil suit, she should file a claim with his insurer, and contact a lawyer to see that that claim is handled properly.
Randy Cruz was riding home from work when she was hit from behind by a motorist who then left her in the street as he drove off and hid in a parking lot.
The only way she could have "collided" with the car was to be riding in reverse. From that stand point it's a fair assumption she was hit by the car from behind.
Now I haven't seen the police report so who knows.
Get well soon, Randy.
I was once knocked off my bike by a driver coming out of a parking lot.
Seperated shoulder, sprained lower back.
The police, who came to take a statement from me while I was in the e-room, wrote in their report that I had run into the truck.
If I had been able to get pictures of my bike underneath the truck after the accident, it would have shown that the truck was in forward motion at the time of the collision, and that the truck had hit me, not the other way around.
Unfortunately the security guards at the building were more concerned with clearing the accident, despite my protests that photos should be taken.
In the future I will never give a statement to the police until I've talked to an attorney.
Get well Randy.
Nail the bastard for me will ya?!
I guarantee you that if it was a police officer on a bike that got hit by someone... the tale would be TOTALLY different. Its sad that people have to fight and struggle to get something as simple as the right to ride safely in the city. Just amazing and sad...
RANDY I LOVE YOU!!!! GET BETTER!
I don't understand how this is okay. I don't understand why we can't protect bicyclists and pedestrians from careless drivers. This is very upsetting. I hope justice is served. Thank you to all who posted numbers for people we can contact to voice our concern. I will be sure to call those people and hope others who are as disappointed as I am do so too.