Fleeing Suspect Kills Bicyclist in Central-Alameda

An eyewitness said a bicyclist was decapitated when an auto theft suspect lost control of his vehicle and overturned during a high-speed police chase.

The pursuit began around 6:10 a.m. and ended less than ten minutes later with a horrific crash on Hooper Avenue between 46th Street and Vernon Avenue. The suspect was traveling on the wrong side of the road when he hit several cars along with the bicyclist and flipped over.

LAPD Detective Meghan Aguilar said the pursuit suspect attempted to run away after the crash but was caught by officers not far from the wreckage.

Bicycle Crash Injuries

The injuries sustained in the above crash were extreme, but alas not too unusual. Bicycles account for about 1 percent of vehicle traffic. But proportionately, bicyclists account for twice as many traffic fatalities. These wrecks usually cause one or more of the following head injuries:

• mTBI: By itself, a moderate traumatic brain injury, or a concussion, usually isn’t life-threatening. However, the cumulative effects of multiple mTBIs cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE, a condition generally associated with athletes who sustain too many concussions, is a degenerative brain disease that’s almost always fatal.
• sTBI: Most bicycle helmets aren’t much thicker than egg cartons. They offer very little protection in high-speed wrecks. Furthermore, the motion of a wreck, as opposed to an impact, often causes a severe traumatic brain injury. When riders fall off their bikes, it’s like dropping a crate of eggs on the floor.
• PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a specific kind of physical brain injury, is often indirectly fatal. Suicidal thoughts are a very common PTSD symptom, along with anger, depression, nightmares, and other effects that, in most cases, are completely disabling. Stress alters the brain’s chemical composition. This imbalance, which is difficult to adjust, causes PTSD symptoms.

If a pre-existing condition, like prior concussions, contributed to an accident-related injury, a California Bicycle Accident Attorney can still obtain total compensation for these victims. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

What Makes a Police Chase Reckless?

First responders have the right to violate some laws, such as minor traffic laws, to keep people safe. These two elements (laws violated and safety at stake) define a reckless police chase.

The penalties for speeding and ignoring a traffic control device are bad enough. However, the penalty is much worse when drivers speed through red lights. Such behavior indicates a conscious disregard for the safety of other people, and quite frankly, that’s a quality we shouldn’t tolerate.

The other reckless chase factor is directly related to safety. Usually, a Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney weighs the risk officers took against the danger to society. When officers go all-out to catch a murder suspect, that’s understandable. That’s questionable when they go all-out to catch a non-violent offender, like a car thief.

Contact Our California Personal Injury Lawyers!

If a reckless chase causes injury, the city, county, or other police officer’s employer is financially responsible for the aforementioned damages. Police officers aren’t above the law. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Los Angeles, contact the Law Offices of Eslamboly Hakim. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we start working for you.

Credit: photo By Midjourney