Cyclists hit, 1 killed in Laguna Canyon

The riders' names are stated in the letters section:

http://bikinginla.wordpress.com/201...collision-on-ocs-laguna-canyon-road/#comments

 

Such a shame and so aggravating!!

 

I don't like riding Laguna Cyn for even 5 mins after a Stairsteps ride.. I'm never comfortable on a bike on the shoulder of that road.. especially with summer time traffic, etc.. no thanks!

 

Just when I was contemplating to get back on the Road Bike. These are the reasons that road biking doesn't sound good to me anymore. I used to ride in Oceanside along the coast through all the little towns at least 3 times a week. It never occurred to me that I could get hit by a car, but times have changed. We rode to Old Camp on the day of the Cook's Chili Cookout and had to park along Santiago Canyon in the bike lane since it was so packed. While getting ready, I saw a number of riders just zooming by, partially on the street, not a concern in the world for fast speeding traffic or opening of car doors. I just don't have it in me anymore, and I can relax on a road bike. I might just stick to mountainbiking. Very sad for the riders involved and their families.

 

This is very sad to hear. Prayers for all involved. I would never ride that stretch of Laguna Canyon. I've turned down my friends rides every time and have expressed my concerns of riding on what basically is a freeway with cars doing 65-70 mph a few feet from you. Also very often when driving that road I see cars drifting into the bike lane. Very scary.

 

Oldschool, your statement bears repeating. I remember when the Laguna Canyon Road widening project started almost 10 years ago. One early plan was to banish bikes from the shoulder of the new 133, and preserve the old two-lane road for bikes only. At the time, the road construction company was adamant that bikes and cars not mix on the new high-speed road. Too bad that original plan fell through.

When driving my car on the 133, which I do frequently, I avoid the right hand lane, because I'm uncomfortable passing bikes at 70 mph.

 

it's always tragic to hear about a cyclist being hit; my thoughts go out to the families of the riders. When Sarah Leaf was hit in Newport on one of my regular routes, it was very sobering to ride by the ghost bike. Then Eric Billings was hit and killed on RSM parkway just past El Toro. I passed that ghost bike for a couple weeks on my commute. RIP Mitch Waller; I will celebrate your life one pedal stroke at a time, on the road, and in the dirt.

 

This angers me to no end. When they did the realignment and moved the road away from the lake they could have left the old pavement for bike traffic, if they had this would not have happened.

 

Rest in peace my friend...Be careful out there everyone.

 

When I rode on the road, I did this route all of the time. If I recall correctly, that section where the riders were hit seems to be the widest part of the road, with a large bike lane/shoulder. That area was the portion of the road where I had felt the safest, unlike riding further down, after the 73. THAT is why I don't do road much - everyone I know has been hit (including my daughter) and several are on sections of the road that seem safe.

 

Update: Fatal bike collision on OC’s Laguna Canyon Road; victim former City Manager of Westminster

I’ve received a number of unconfirmed reports that a bike rider was killed this morning in a collision on Laguna Canyon Road in Orange County.
One person reports driving by the collision site and seeing a body covered up by police, following what appeared to be a collision between a bike and a minivan. Another report places the site near Highway 133.
More details as they become available.

Update: The Orange County Register has just confirmed that two cyclists were struck by a Toyota Corolla around 8:50 am, one fatally.
They place the site of the collision on the southbound 133 Freeway (Laguna Canyon Road) north of the 73 toll road, just outside the Laguna Beach city limits. A comment from Mike puts it halfway between the 405 and the 73; a satellite view shows a wide shoulder at that point.
According to the paper, the driver remained at the scene; unfortunately, any other details are hidden behind their paywall.
Mike reports that the car had a crushed windshield; combined with the wide shoulder and relatively straight highway with limited access points, that would suggest a hit-from-behind collision.

This is the 41st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth in Orange County.
Update 2: More details are coming in. According to the Laguna Beach Independent, the victim killed in today’s collision was a 53-year old Mission Viejo man, while the injured rider was a 48-year old man from Fullerton.
The Orange County Coroner’s office identifies the victim as James Waller, and places the time of death at 8:48 am; a comment below says he was the former City Manager of the City of Westminster.

The surviving victim, is identified below as Kevin Beach, fleet superintendent for the city. He was taken to Mission Hospital; a comment says he is awake and alert, and no longer in critical condition.​

According to Laguna Beach Patch, the 25-year old driver was traveling at 60 mph when she drifted onto the should of the road and hit both riders. She was questioned at the scene, and no arrest has been made at this time; alcohol use is not suspected.
A driver following shortly behind the Corolla witnessed the collision and stayed to aid the victims. I was at the scene this morning on my way to work, two cars back from the accident when it happened and saw it go down. The two riders were struck from behind by a small white corolla-type car going about 60-65 mph (not sure why that car drifted into the shoulder). The rest of us who were there did what we could to help by directing traffic, calling 911, and talking with the conscious rider, who was responsive but in shock, while the other who died was non-responsive nor breathing right after the accident. Paramedics arrived around 5 minutes later and pronounced the fatality. The driver of the white car stayed (thankfully) and those of us who were there gave statements to the police. The previous post was correct – they were riding black/white Specialized frames. I am still in shock from seeing the accident and am praying for the families of all involved, including the woman driving the white car.

My prayers and deepest sympathy for James Waller, and all his family and loved ones. And prayers and best wishes for Kevin Beach for a full and speedy recover.





very sad about the cyclists.

 

The man killed was the ex Police Chief of Mission Viejo.

 

This sickens me. Sounds like a classic case of distracted driving - texting.

 

Exactly.

 

Ya the guy was a friend of a friend and they were devastated yesterday. 'Mitch' Waller they called him. 25 year old girl just randomly veers off road? Almost makes me think an accident that occurs as a result of texting while driving should carry the same punishment as drinking and driving.

 

LAGUNA BEACH – A former Westminster police chief who later served as city manager died Friday after he was struck by a car while bicycling along Highway 133, authorities said.
The Orange County coroner's office identified James Mitchell Waller, 53, of Mission Viejo as one of two bicyclists struck on the 133 near the 73 toll road.

​

California Highway Patrol officers and a Sheriff's deputy coroner investigate the scene where a bicyclist died after being struck by a car on the southbound State Route 133, just north of the 73 toll road in Laguna Canyon, on Friday morning.

KEN STEINHARDT, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER​

​

Coroner and police officials confirmed that Waller was the former Westminster city manager and police chief who spent about 29 years with the city.
The two bicyclists were struck by a white Toyota Corolla around 8:50 a.m. just outside the Laguna Beach city limits.
Waller died at the scene, authorities said, while the other bicyclist was taken to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo.
Waller was bicycling with friend Kevin Beach, a longtime city employee, Westminster police Lt. Derek Marsh said. Beach is in serious, but stable condition, Marsh said.
Both men were avid bicyclists and that stretch of Laguna Beach was one of their favorites, Marsh said.
"They rode that road hundreds of times," Marsh said. "It's crazy when something like this happens. It's tragic."
Officers were questioning the driver of the Toyota, who stayed at the scene, Officer Pete Kim said. No arrests were reported.
Marsh described Waller as "a very accomplished man" who handled two of the city's top management jobs.
"He'll be missed by all of us here," Marsh said.
Waller is survived by his wife and two children, Marsh said.
Waller began his tenure with the Westminster Police Department in 1984 and served as a captain, chief's adjutant, SWAT commander, traffic sergeant, patrol operations lieutenant and detective commander before becoming the chief in 2009.
Waller took the Westminster city manager position in early 2011. He retired in July 2012 after being forced out by the City Council. One elected official at the time cited concerns about his management style, but residents continued to defend Waller. They praised him for reducing the city's budget deficit and they questioned his ouster.
Waller's death shocked former colleagues.
"I've taken it especially hard, said Westminster City Manager Eddie Manfro. "He had made me his assistant city manager and took me under his wing...It's hard to come to terms with this."
"He did a lot for the city. And he's going to be missed," Manfro said.
The news spread quickly at Westminster City Hall and the Police Department. Police Chief Kevin Baker called area city managers, who in turn notified elected officials and department heads, who shared what happened with their staffs.
A trauma team was sent to the Police Department, where Waller had many friends. And police went out to the public works yard, where Beach — the second bicyclist — works as a garage superintendent.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, city officials said Waller had a passion for cycling and was a long-time supporter of the annual "Project 999" memorial bicycle ride, where officers and deputies ride more than 600 miles from the California State Memorial to the Orange County Memorial to raise funds for fallen officers.
Councilman Andy Quach, who supported Waller and voted against his ouster last year, called the former city manager "more than a friend."
"I looked up to him," Quach said. "He was a good guy who knew what had to be done for the organization, from the Police Department to City Hall. He wasn't just somebody I worked with or somebody who had the title. He was a friend and a genuinely good individual on any level."
Lacy Kelly, CEO of the Association of California Cities Orange County, praised him in an email forwarded to the county's city managers as someone who was "passionate about good public policy."
"As City Manager is Westminster, Mitch led the charge to balance the budget in the wake of the demise of redevelopment," Kelly wrote. "Although Mitch was retired, he will be greatly missed."
By late Friday afternoon, those who knew him were still absorbing the news of Waller's unexpected death, Quach said. "Mitch impacted a lot of lives—in a positive way.

 

Horrible news. I spend nearly half of my work days driving all over Orange County and can honestly say that there are still a lot of drivers out there texting and driving or playing with there phones while driving. 9 out of 10 are female.

 

$157 fine or texting. Carpool violation is $490. Something doesn't compute. Texting should be ten times more plus carry same weight as DUI if in accident.

 

To the OC District Attorney or whomever has jurisdiction over this:
The cycling communtiy suffers over and over when riders are injured or killed by drivers who then get a slap on the wrist or less. If this had been a narrower shoulder or just one of the riders had been hit, I could imagine a chance that the cyclist contributed to the situation - maybe they swerved or were knocked off course by debris. But in this case it's hard to imagine any way this happened except through negligent or reckless driving which lead to a fatality. Please, please treat cases like this as the crimes they are, set a proper example for other drivers, and if this driver is at fault then prosecute her to the very fullest extent possible.

My deepest condolences to the families touched by this tragedy. R.I.P., Mitch.

 

Totally agree since studies have "suggested" that someone on the phone is as impaired as a drunk driver. These incidents will begin to decrease when drivers phoning or texting are ticketed properly. Until then, road riding is a death defying sport.