Security cameras are very numerous in the Los Angeles area, and they occasionally record crimes and traffic accidents. A residential camera recently recorded what may have been the prelude to a fatal accident in Palos Verdes Estates.
The accident occurred on a downhill portion of Granvia Altamira, a route frequently used by cyclists because it affords a stunning view of the surrounding hills and the Pacific Ocean. A group of cyclists made a 911 call to report the accident. Police arrived to find a cyclist on the ground by the curb. The cyclist was taken to Harbor UCLA Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.
Police located a home security video camera that recorded an image of a white pickup truck tailgating a man on a bicycle at a spot about 150 feet from where the cyclist was found. Both the truck and the cyclist leave the frame before any collision or the accident itself can be detected. The video appears to have been taken only seconds before the accident occurred, and police believe that the driver of the pickup has information relevant to the incident. One of the riders in the group that alerted police said that about two weeks previously, a driver in a white pickup pulled along three cyclists in the same area and shouted insults at them. Police have made no statement about whether they believe the same man and truck are involved in the two incidents.
A significant amount of investigation will be required before the exact cause of this accident can be determined. Nevertheless, the driver of the pickup recorded in the video appears to have followed the cyclist too closely.
Anyone who has been injured by a driver who used a vehicle to express their anger may wish to consult a personal injury attorney for an evaluation of the case. If negligence is proven the victim can recover damages for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering.
Source: NBC Los Angeles, “Security Camera Shows Pickup Tailgating Cyclist Before Fatal Crash,” Patrick Healy, May 19, 2016
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