Bicycle Austin forum

owlman

Member

Registered: 2011-12-16

Posts: 142

Driver hits group ride on Pleasant Valley, sends 4 to hospital 6/10/16

http://www.kvue.com/news/local/2-charge … /447874789

Devin Donnel Rodriguez, 25, was driving near South Pleasant Valley Road and Elmont Drive when he allegedly struck a group of cyclists. When police arrived, officers said they found four people bleeding in the street. All of the cyclists were taken to the hospital where it was revealed that one of the victims was bleeding inside her brain, the Statesman said.

Rodriguez, who stayed at the scene, told police he fell asleep at the wheel. ... Rodriguez was charged with driving with an invalid license

Jack

Member

Registered: 2013-03-27

Posts: 344

Re: Driver hits group ride on Pleasant Valley, sends 4 to hospital 6/10/16

I believe the Statesman article also goes on to say that one of the driver's passengers was arrested for stealing a Jeep from someone who stopped to help.  Jeez.

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,466

Website

Re: Driver hits group ride on Pleasant Valley, sends 4 to hospital 6/10/16

I read about tihs, thanks for posting it before I got around to it though, which might have been a while.

Yeah, I saw the bit about how the passenger stole a vehicle to get away.

KXAN reports that it looked like the driver was trying to get away, but he stopped because he realized there was a cyclist on the roof of his car.

http://kxan.com/2017/06/12/group-of-cyc … st-austin/

trentsky

Member

Registered: 2009-12-18

Posts: 7

Re: Driver hits group ride on Pleasant Valley, sends 4 to hospital 6/10/16

Why do I read the comments on news articles?... Majority of kxan comments essentially saying cyclists deserve it for riding on roads. Then it devolved even further into trump land saying we need to build the wall (I guess cuz the driver had a hispanic name?)

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,466

Website

Re: Driver hits group ride on Pleasant Valley, sends 4 to hospital 6/10/16

Majority of kxan comments essentially saying cyclists deserve it for riding on roads.

And that's exactly why the roads aren't safe.  It doesn't matter how many miles of bike lanes or "protected" bike lanes we install, the streets will never be safe until we change drivers' hearts and minds.

owlman

Member

Registered: 2011-12-16

Posts: 142

Re: Driver hits group ride on Pleasant Valley, sends 4 to hospital 6/10/16

Some words from one of the riders who just got out of the hospital (two others also released, one is still hospitalized)

http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-ne … 9691-story

Looks like Rodriguez has been charged with "DRIVING W/LIC INV W/PREV CONV/SUSP/W/O FIN RES", which because it caused serious injury could be a class A misdemeanor (up to 1 yr jail & $4000 fine)