LATEST BIKE VS VEHICLE COLLISIONS: Dec 1, 2021, July 3, 2021 & May 30, 2021

December 1, 2021, 1300hrs: Bike vs Vehicle Collision on Mount Diablo State Park, South Gate Road, 1.5 miles from the entrance. Rick was riding his bicycle downhill around a Blind Curve when he was hit and seriously injuried. He suffered multiiple compound fractures and was transported by ambulance to John Muir Hospital. Rick spent four days in the Hospital.

Special Thanks to cyclists: Edwyn, Debbie and Michael for calling 911, applying First Aid and controling the accident scene until the Park Rangers arrived! Well Done!

Witness #1: “I was decending South Gate Road, on Mt. Diablo on a bicycle along with Rick who was approximately 20 yards in front of me.” We were rounding a right hand blind curve when all of sudden a blue Honda SUV, older model CR-V, appeared in my field of vision around the blind curve.” The vehicle appeared to be well over the double yellow line, occupying at least 80-90% of the descending lane.” “At about the same time I saw the vehicle, I also saw Rick make impact with the front drivers side of the vehicle.”

Witness #2: ” My friend and I were riding up the South side of Mt. Diablo around 1PM when we heard a blue Honda CRV approaching from behind us.” “The car, which was being driven by a young woman, overtook us in the left hand and then continued to drive up the mountain in the wrong lane for the next 100/150 yards.” “When a female cyclist, who was descending, appeared around a corner and was nearly hit by this car as they were still in the wrong lane.” “About a minute after we saw this, as we came around a corner and saw there was a commotion up ahead of us and both of us said at the same time, She’s hit someone!” “We came upon the scene and saw Rick lying in a ditch on the left side hand side to the road with the driver of the car, on her phone calling 911.”

Witness #3: “I was riding up the south gate road to the ranger station on December 1st around 12:45 with ” (name withheld – Witness#2), “when he called out car back.” We moved into a signle file on the far right so the car could pass.” “The car passed us the left and when it went pass us we noticed the car was completely in the other lane.” “This often happens when cars pass giving ample room for us.” “But as the car kept going up the road it never moved back over to the right side of the road.” All four wheels of the car remained in the wrong direction lane and kept going.” “I became aware of a female cyclist descending in the same lane as the car was going up.” The female rider came around a corner and had to go to her far right side of the (our left) to avoid a head on collision with the car.” “She barely missed the driver side of the car and barely missed going into the ditch.” “At no time did the driver make any attempt to move out of the way.” “(name with held” “and I said to each other that car is going to hit someone coming down.” “About 3 turns later we came around a bend and saw other riders in bright green jackets walking around the road 100 yards or so above where we were.” “We knew at that point the car had hit someone.”

Witness #4: On December 1, 2021, between the hours of 12:30-1:00, I was descending Mt. Diablo on a bike between the pay station on Southgate and the entry gate.  I was almost ¾ of the way to the pay gate and had just rounded a corner when I observed a dark blue vehicle with a female driver and female passenger directly and completely in my lane of travel.  The vehicle was proceeding uphill while driving in the downhill lane.  There were no obstructions in the lane to the right of the vehicle (the uphill lane).  I immediately and forcefully applied my brakes coming almost to a complete stop when she pulled over to the right to the proper lane of travel.  As I continued descending, I observed two male cyclists ascending the mountain and commented “did you see that?”.  They responded they had.  They were were a few hundred yards behind the vehicle that had almost hit me. 

Witness #5: “She said to me that she was afraid of the edge and so she was driving on this side of the road.” “As we were waiting for the ambulance, multiple cyclists came by and said they had seen her driving on the wrong side of the road on her way up.”

Rick and San Ramon Valley Fire Department
San Ramon Valley Fire Department and Park Ranger Tristan McHenry loading Rick into the Ambulance
According to Witnesses: “This is the Vehicle that hit Rick”

July 3, 2021: Bike vs Vehicle Collision on Mount Diablo State Park, South Gate Road. The Collision occurred at a Blind Curve. This location is where a Bike Turnout has been recommended, according to the Mount Diablo State Park, Bike Turnout Project#2019-05. This Project was approved & signed by State Parks on March 18, 2019.

Special Thanks to Dianne and Ron Canada (cyclists/witnesses). Dianne, a nurse immediately applied First Aid to the seriously injuried cyclist. While Ron, called 911, directed traffic, took photos and took charge of the accident site until San Ramon Valley Fire Department arrived. They should be commended for their caring professionalism! The CHP is conducting the investigation (Photo below: Dianne at the Blind Curve where the Bike vs Vehicle Collision occurred)

Same Blind Curve as the July 3, 2021 Bike vs Vehicle Collision. Slow the Video down and Notice the Two cyclists descending. If they had been a few seconds earlier, this would of been another Bike vs Vehicle Collision

To: tara.lynch@parks.ca.gov <tara.lynch@parks.ca.gov>. Sent: Wednesday, June 2, 2021, 06:01:10 AM PDT Subject: REF: BIKE VS VEHICLE COLLISION ON MOUNT DIABLO!! (MAY 30, 2021) Tara, Please share this email with Armando Quinetero, Director California State Parks. Please confirm, thanks! 

Armando, I’m really sorry to have to share this story. A cyclist was seriouly injuried on Saturday.

  • A Bike vs Vehicle Collision, resulting is serious injuries to the cyclist occurred on Sunday morning (May 30, 2021, approximately 0925hrs), South Gate Road, Mount Diablo State Park (MDSP). 
  • According to muliple witnesses, “a Honda Van (Lic#7NTX394) passed several cycists who were riding up hill on a Blind Curve and crossed the solid double yellow line.”
  • The cyclist was descending around a Blind Curve near the 1,000ft Elevation sign.
  • The Bike vs Vehicle Collision occurred near a Blind Curve, a location where a “Bike Turnout” had been approved in March 2019, but NOT installed per the CA State Parks, MDSP Project#2019-05.
  • The cyclist sustained serious injuries and spent the Memorial Day Weekend in the Emergency Room at John Muir Hospital, Walnut Creek California.
  • California Highway Patrol (CHP) is conducting the investigation and will complete the Traffic Collision Report (TCR)

While we wait for the CHP to complete the Traffic Collision Report (TCR). It’s clear to us after spenting three days following and analyzing the facts; speaking to multiple witnesses, reading their statements and collecting photos. This Bike vs Collision may have been preventable, if Ca State Parks had installed Bike Turnouts near this location over two years ago!

Please Armando, install Bike Turnouts on Mount Diablo before we have a fatality.