Driver slams into pack of Los Angeles cyclists

LOS ANGELES - A suspected drunken driver plowed into a group of bicyclists on a midnight ride Thursday in Los Angeles, injuring 11, one critically, police said.

(At left, watch a report on this story from CBS News station KCBS-TV in Los Angeles.)

The riders were in a group of about 100 cyclists that were struck by a white Honda Civic shortly before 2 a.m. about 8 miles south of downtown.

The crash injured 11 riders, including one person who was hospitalized in critical condition but is expected to survive, said Officer Jacquelyn Abad.

Christine Elizabeth Dahab, 27, was arrested and booked for driving under the influence, the Los Angeles Police Department told CBS News station KCBS-TV. She is being held on $15,000 bail.

Some bicyclists told KTTV Fox 11 that the woman driving the car appeared to be using a cell phone before the crash. They said she slowed down, then sped up and slammed into the group, sending some riders flying into the air and dragging at least one under her car.

"All I just said was watch out," witness Alex Zamora told KCBS-TV. "I saw everybody get dragged. Everybody got dragged like a bowling ball."

Television reports showed the car's smashed front end and shattered windshield.

The bikers belonged to "Midnight Ridazz," a Koreatown bicycling group that gets together for weekly midnight rides.

[ReasonableGuy987]

wow - I bet you guys would tell the rape victim it was their fault for wearing a skirt and going out dancing. Get real people - 100 people in a peloton riding at a time when there are the fewest cars on the road, seeing a side of LA that few people ever see, and a drunken fool talking on her cell phone smashes into them. Remember who is he victim and who is the victimizer. And licensing bicycle riders wouldn't have made a single difference in this event - or any other. As it turns out the driver of the car was licensed and see how well that turned out - stupid people = stupid acts - and no legislation or spending of additional tax dollars will change that

[bryanabbott]

At some point in the near past we through common sense out the window and began to view bicycles as "equal" to automobiles on our roads. We are reminded to share the road with bicycles at every turn in our society. For reasons that I do not fully understand, they are not compelled by law to carry an operators license, identification or a vehicle license. I don't think anyone but a bicyclists would argue against the fact that they are a regular hazard on our roads. More often than not they can be seen breaking traffic laws at just about any intersection in LA and I've never seen one pulled over by the police. IMHO they are particularly obvious hazards on the PCH and canyon roads of the Santa Monica Mountains. If you are a commuter or resident of these areas I suspect you might agree with me. Bicycle riders think nothing of riding down the center of steep inclines in an effort to prevent vehicles from passing them, they also often ride two or three abreast (which I understand to be illegal for obvious reasons)and I have witnessed them on more than one occasion riding up hill on the in the center of a lane directly against traffic, banking on or hoping that no motor vehicles would appear. I have nothing against bicycle riding, I enjoy the activity, but it's time to change our bicycle laws and the time is far overdue for us to compel bicyclists on our major thoroughfares to be licensed and for their bicycles to be licensed. I live in fear of the consequences of irresponsible bicyclists actions and there is no reason I should have to. You wouldn't ride a wheel chair on the PCH would you? You wouldn't roller skate down Malibu Canyon with cars on the road......... I think we can all agree that riding a shopping cart down Santa Monica Blvd is a bad idea... So why do we allow bicyclists to endanger themselves and others without at least asking them to be responsible for their actions by having their vehicles and themselves licensed??????? I feel sorry for the individuals who were hurt in this accident but I also find the concept of a "midnight" ride on bicycles through the streets of LA to be an idea that rises to a level of irresponsibility that only a Los Angeles County bicyclist would attempt to do it. Even a drunk driver might be able to avoid hitting one bicyclist, but looking up suddenly and finding yourself faced with a wall of bicyclists should sound like bad news to anyone. In the world of motor vehicles, the police call that racing and it's illegal. It's illegal because it is a hazard to others. If we are going to "share the road" then these bicyclists should be playing by the same rules.

[jack_sprat2]

Obviously, you have way too much common sense. It is an article of faith among the New Left that neither the laws of physics or the political rule of the majority over the Commons shall be permitted to hold sway. It's similar to the one that holds that teachers should retire on 80% of their final salary, while UAW autoworkers never got more than $18,000 for 30 years, plus the $15,000 in social security out of which they insist they've been scr*w*d. ($48,000 or $63,000, if they win the extra money, vs. $33,000 and no more.) Or the notion that public employees and retirees are entitled to no-cost Viagra and sex changes, while almost no private worker gets such benefits. Articles of faith. Too bad the Koreans availed themselves of such lunacy; most of those whom I've met seemed more sensible.

[bryanabbott]

At some point in the near past we through common sense out the window and began to view bicycles as "equal" to automobiles on our roads. We are reminded to share the road with bicycles at every turn in our society. For reasons that I do not fully understand, they are not compelled by law to carry an operators license, identification or a vehicle license. I don't think anyone but a bicyclists would argue against the fact that they are a regular hazard on our roads. More often than not they can be seen breaking traffic laws at just about any intersection in LA and I've never seen one pulled over by the police. IMHO they are particularly obvious hazards on the PCH and canyon roads of the Santa Monica Mountains. If you are a commuter or resident of these areas I suspect you might agree with me. Bicycle riders think nothing of riding down the center of steep inclines in an effort to prevent vehicles from passing them, they also often ride two or three abreast (which I understand to be illegal for obvious reasons)and I have witnessed them on more than one occasion riding up hill on the in the center of a lane directly against traffic, banking on or hoping that no motor vehicles would appear. I have nothing against bicycle riding, I enjoy the activity, but it's time to change our bicycle laws and the time is far overdue for us to compel bicyclists on our major thoroughfares to be licensed and for their bicycles to be licensed. I live in fear of the consequences of irresponsible bicyclists actions and there is no reason I should have to. You wouldn't ride a wheel chair on the PCH would you? You wouldn't roller skate down Malibu Canyon with cars on the road......... I think we can all agree that riding a shopping cart down Santa Monica Blvd is a bad idea... So why do we allow bicyclists to endanger themselves and others without at least asking them to be responsible for their actions by having their vehicles and themselves licensed??????? I feel sorry for the individuals who were hurt in this accident but I also find the concept of a "midnight" ride on bicycles through the streets of LA to be an idea that rises to a level of irresponsibility that only a Los Angeles County bicyclist would attempt to do it. Even a drunk driver might be able to avoid hitting one bicyclist, but looking up suddenly and finding yourself faced with a wall of bicyclists should sound like bad news to anyone. In the world of motor vehicles, the police call that racing and it's illegal. It's illegal because it is a hazard to others. If we are going to "share the road" then these bicyclists should be playing by the same rules.

[FoolKiller]

"Everybody got dragged like a bowling ball." Huh? Hope he can ride better than he can make sense.

[skithebumps]

Don't drink and drive.
Don't talk on your stupid cell phone and drive.
Don't drink and talk on your stupid cell phone and drive.
Any questions?