Sheriffs deputy kills cyclist on Mulholland Highway

A sheriffs deputy hit and killed a cyclist on Mulholland Highway in Calabasas today. The cyclist was in the bike lane. How the hell does this happen?
Bicyclist Struck And Killed By Sheriff?s Patrol Car In Calabasas « CBS Los Angeles

Update: Just saw it on the news. The rider went through the windshield. The impact was so violent that his helmet and shoes were torn from him.

How could this happen with a 25 mph zone? Hope there's a black box in the car to see what the real speed was. Horrible to hear.

I think that this is the part of Mulholland Hwy that is just east of Calabasas High School. Because there is a generous right turn lane there, the bike lane there is essentially in the middle of the road. This is horrible.

So was it a head on?

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Originally Posted by twinkles

So was it a head on?

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I don't know. I was thinking the cyclist got hit from behind. :confused:

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Originally Posted by il sogno

I don't know. I was thinking the cyclist got hit from behind. :confused:

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I was just reading another article and it says that the cyclist and cop were going the same direction but the cyclist hit the windshield. That would mean that he was hit from behind. The cop must have been going pretty fast for the cyclists helmet and shoes to fly off at impact and for him to shatter the windshield.

Just terrible. My condolences to the rider's friends and family. I hope the gears of justice grind in the rider's favor.

BTW -- I was struck from behind not far from there, though on a different street.

Some good comments but few definite answers...

1: Was the driver given a breathalyser or required to provide a urine sample?
2: Was the driver texting, using his radio, cellphone or computer at the time of the accident?
3: Why did the police press release say the bicyclist collided with the car? Obviously the car hit him from behind.
4: Was the driver observing the speed limit? At 25mph the impact should not have knocked the rider's shoes or helmet off. I went through a windshield and my shoes stayed on.

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Originally Posted by Cinelli 82220

Some good comments but few definite answers...

1: Was the driver given a breathalyser or required to provide a urione sample?
2: Was the driver texting, using his radio, cellphone or computer at the time of the accident?
3: Why did the police press release say the bicyclist collided with the car? Obviously the car hit him from behind.
4: Was the driver observing the speed limit? At 25mph the impact should not have knocked the rider's shoes or helmet off. I went through a windshield and my shoes stayed on.

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3: we're always at fault, remember?
4: 25mph is a school zone when class is in session. I don't think this applies to Sundays.

I'm also curious to what the dash-cam video shows.

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Originally Posted by Hollywood

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I'm also curious to what the dash-cam video shows.

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Let's hope the camera didn't have an "unfortunate malfunction"

Police "circling the wagons" when one of their own is implicated, wouldnt be too surprising.

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Originally Posted by tom_h

Let's hope the camera didn't have an "unfortunate malfunction"

Police "circling the wagons" when one of their own is implicated, wouldnt be too surprising.

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the cops will find something to blame the other party, aka the cyclist.

You guys are dreaming if you think people drive 25 on mullhulland.

Just saw an update on the news. A sheriffs spokesperson said "speed was not a factor, the deputy was on a routine call". Yeah, they never speed when they're on a call, routine or not. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by ghostryder

You guys are dreaming if you think people drive 25 on mullhulland.

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it's only 25 in the school zone…. if the accident was on the weekend ? the car was probably going ~40

The cyclist was a prominent lawyer, I'm thinking it's going to be hard for the police to cover things up if his colleagues get involved. Or maybe I should say "hoping" it's harder for them to cover things up.

Here's a Google street view picture I posted on BF. The cop was almost certainly moving from the right lane to the left when he hit the cyclist. You'd think the cop HAD to be distracted not to see the cyclist at all. A bike lane sandwiched between two thru traffic lanes is a pretty poor design IMO (even if just for 1/2 block in this case.)

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/645/l9it.png

Stupid traffic design!

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Originally Posted by Dunbar

Here's a Google street view picture I posted on BF. The cop was almost certainly moving from the right lane to the left when he hit the cyclist. You'd think the cop HAD to be distracted not to see the cyclist at all. A bike lane sandwiched between two thru traffic lanes is a pretty poor design IMO (even if just for 1/2 block in this case.)

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/645/l9it.png

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I've ridden this stretch of road many times. It's dangerous. I hope they sue the crap out of the county and get them to change their approach to designing bike lanes. This sort of "bike lane" is a menace to cyclists.

There's an article in the The Acorn today. The officer was driving on Mulholland "after responding to a call at Calabasas High School". It doesn't make clear whether he was on the way to the high school or if it was after having been at the high school.

Whatever the situation it's a bad deal. How can you cream a cyclist on that section of road?

JSR

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Originally Posted by Dunbar

Here's a Google street view picture I posted on BF.

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Note to self: Always stick to the right side regardless of where I'm "supposed" to be.

That bike lane is in the center to allow cars to turn right from eddingham rd then merge on to mulholland. I've ridden this section many times and always felt a bit vunerable.

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Originally Posted by towfur

That bike lane is in the center to allow cars to turn right from eddingham rd then merge on to mulholland.

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It looks like a continuation of the centered bike lane from the right turn lane just before that intersection. Centering the bike lane where there's a right turn-only lane makes sense. It doesn't make sense to center that bike lane when 100% of the traffic turning right on Mullholland Highway has to merge through the bike lane. I know roadies hate the look of mirrors but this is one of those situations where a mirror could save your butt.

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6484/qurv.png

Does anyone know the "results" of the investigation? Was there any punishment?

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Originally Posted by steel515

Does anyone know the "results" of the investigation? Was there any punishment?

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The cop is apparently on "personal leave:"

L.A. sheriff’s deputy who hit cyclist on personal leave | www.toacorn.com | Thousand Oaks Acorn

and this:

Sheriff’s deputy involved in cyclist’s Calabasas death transfers to courts