bay area cycling news

The Menlo Park Patch is reporting that the CHP today updated findings on the November 2010 collision between cyclist Lauren Ward and an 18-wheeler driven by Gabriel Vera of Randazzo Enterprises Inc. After reviewing the data from the initial report, conducting a forensics analysis, and reconstructing the events that transpired that day, CHP Spokesman Art Montiel says their findings have changed. “It has been determined the big rig truck and bicycle came into contact with the left front portion of the truck colliding with the right rear portion of the bicycle, while the bike was still in an upright position,“ Montiel said. Read more on the Menlo Park Patch's site . What's still unclear is whether the CHP will be filing charges against the driver, or whether Lauren was cleared from being at fault for her own death.

A few news outlets are reporting that an official bike lane is now being considered for the section of Alpine Road that meets highway 280, where veteran cyclist Lauren Ward was killed last November. The hundreds of westbound bicycles that traverse the Alpine Road intersection every day have been making do without a bike lane. That would change with the implementation of any of four proposed designs now being looked at by the San Mateo County Public Works Department and the California Transportation Department. The four design proposals are detailed on SVBC's website , and you can read more at the Palo Alto Online .

Lauren Ward was killed last November when an eighteen-wheeler collided with her on Alpine Road at highway 280 in western Palo Alto / Los Altos Hills. A month later the CHP concluded that Lauren had made an "unsafe turn" into the big-rig, and that the driver was not at fault, despite having a history of previous accidental deaths . Today, however, the Los Altos Town Crier is reporting that the CHP is reopening the investigation , prompted by "new information" about the accident. The CHP spokesman is careful to not assume anything about the new information, however: "Our original investigation is completed and everything’s still the same (regarding the party found at fault),” [ CHP spokesman Art Montiel ] said. “We don’t know if the additional info will make that change." Read (only a few more) details on the Los Altos Town Crier's website .

Hours after the CHP release a report on how Lauren Ward allegedly biked into a big rig, her family is filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the big rig driver, Gabriel Manzur Vera, and his company, Randazzo Enterprises Inc. “Lauren was an experienced cyclist who was strong and confident on her bike, knew the rules of the road and advocated for bicycle safety. While the CHP was conducting its investigation, we brought in scientists and other experts to evaluate the circumstances surrounding Lauren’s tragic death, and the team disagrees with the CHP’s conclusions as to the cause. As a result, Bob and the Ward children would like a jury to hear the evidence and decide,” said John Feder of Rouda, Feder, Tietjen & McGuinn. Read more on the family's press release .

The Palo Alto Daily News (hosted by Mercury News) is covering last night's CHP report detailing Lauren Ward's fatal accident with a big rig on November 4. According to a redacted CHP report released Monday night, Vera was driving his truck west on Alpine Road in the right lane between 10 and 15 mph at about 3:40 p.m. and Ward was to the immediate left of the vehicle sharing the lane. Ward, who was riding at an unknown speed, "unsafely turned" her Trek bicycle and fell to her right side, the report states. ... The trucker told the CHP the collision happened as he was moving from the right westbound lane into a lane that turned right onto southbound Interstate Highway 280. Vera told the CHP he had his right blinker on and was looking at his right rear view mirror, but when he looked forward he heard a "bump." It strikes me that short of swerving across the entire lane, even an "unsafe turn" causing a crash means that the driver was *way* too close to...

It seems news agencies are digging down into some of the news about Gabriel Vera, the driver of the big-rig who collided with cyclist Lauren Ward. The Contra Costa Times is now reporting that a civil wrongful death suit was settled against Vera for $1.5 million from the 2007 Santa Cruz death of John Myslin, the other cyclist-death accident that Vera was involved in. [demolition company] Randazzo [Enterprises] and Vera agreed to contribute insurance money in exchange for release of all claims and a dismissal of the lawsuit, according to the May 2008 civil case in Santa Cruz County Superior Court. Read more at the Contra Costa Times website .

It seems that the truck driver in the November 4 fatal collision with cyclist Lauren Ward was also involved in another cyclist getting killed in Santa Cruz in August 2007. On Aug. 7, 2007, Vera's big rig and cyclist John Myslin, a 25-year-old high school teacher, collided at the intersection of Mission and Bay streets in Santa Cruz. An investigation concluded that the popular Pacific Collegiate School teacher was at fault and police advised the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office not to file charges against Vera. Police have yet to release a final statement on the November 4 crash because a lack of eyewitnesses is making the analysis difficult. If you have any information regarding the November 4 crash, please call CHP investigators at 650-369-6261. Read more at the Palo Alto Daily News (on Mercury News' website).

San Mateo County Times (via San Jose Mercury News website) has a great piece on Lauren Ward, the bicyclist who was killed Thursday by an 18 wheeler on Alpine road. Veronica Lentfer, a friend who knew Ward through the swim club and went on several bike rides with her, said she was always trying to help make the roads safer for bicyclists. Read more on their site .

Sadly, a sigalert says that a cyclist has been killed on Alpine & highway 280 this afternoon. Possible Fatality - Alpine Rd at 280 North 3:37 PM * Message/Item Delivered Fire 3:39 PM * 18 Wheeler vs Bicyclist 3:39 PM * Per 91-74 Inquire If a Comm Unit Can Rspn and Assist Please 3:43 PM * Female Advsing Subject not Moving Under Semi--Can See a Hat and Shoes Only Sticking Out 3:45 PM * Reporting Party on Line 10 Connected Fire--Fire Going On Scene 3:45 PM * Per 91-74 West Lanes is Closed 3:46 PM * CHP Unit on Scene 3:46 PM * Roll Corner 3:47 PM * CHP Unit on Scene 3:50 PM * Message/Item Delivered Smco Coroner, Will Call Back 3:51 PM * CHP Unit on Scene 3:51 PM * Transportation Management Center Copies-Confirm Only with B Alpine is Closed at this Time, E/b Still Open? Thanks 4:00 PM * CHP Unit on Scene 4:00 PM * Copy Thanks, Will Post in Media Log 4:02 PM * CHP Unit on Scene 4:03 PM * CHP Unit on Scene 4:05 PM * CHP Unit on Scene 4:26 PM * Thomas Guide Map Coordinates: 810 2E So it go...