Bicyclist Killed By Sheriff’s Patrol Car

Posted on October 8, 2012 | Written By: iadminlaw

Bicyclist need to follow the rules of the road and be on the lookout for pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Unfortunately, they must also watch out for law enforcement. The failure to watch out for police or sheriff’s deputies could be fatal.

A bicycle rider struck and killed by an L.A. County sheriff’s patrol car in Inglewood early Monday has been identified by family members as 45-year-old Alfonso Cerda.

English: Randy’s Donuts, Los Angeles, California. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Deputies said they were trying to stop Cerda near the 3500 block of West 107th Street and believed he was armed with a handgun, according to a Sheriff’s department statement.

Cerda’s bicycle collided with the patrol car at 1:25 a.m. He eventually died from his injuries. Authorities said Monday morning that they had not located the handgun that they were looking. That is assuming that a handgun actually exists.

The Inglewood Police Department, with help from the Sheriff’s department’s traffic services detail, was investigating the crash.

At least a handful of civil rights activists have called on the Sheriff’s department to re-examine their policies and procedures for how to chase bicyclists.

“The death of a bicyclist following a crash with a sheriff’s vehicle points up the pressing need for a thorough review or implementation of a strong policy by the Sheriff’s department regarding chases and confrontations with bicycle suspects,” said a joint statement from Earl Ofari Hutchinson of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable and Eddie Jones of the Los Angeles Civil Rights Association.

If a loved one was the victim of a bicycle accident that was caused by negligence or some other form of reckless behavior and it led to a wrongful death, it is important that you contact a committed and dedicated personal injury lawyer to help you decide if you should file a lawsuit. A competent and reputable injury lawyer can help you receive the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering.