CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Cycle Safety Task Force Reacts To Hit-and-Run Crash

UPDATE: The Orange County coroners state that the cyclist died of his injuries just before noon Thursday.

The third meeting of the Newport Beach Task Force on Cycling Safety is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday — but members this week said the hit-and-run crash that left a cyclist critically injured underscores the importance of the group’s work.

“We won’t eliminate people making careless turns, as the driver allegedly did, but hopefully by raising awareness and making drivers more aware of bicyclists and the need to share the road –and making sure bicyclists are aware of and follow the rules, as well — we can minimize these occurrences,” said Councilwoman Nancy Gardner, who asked for the creation of the task force after several earlier crashes that injured and in one case killed a cyclist.

The latest incident occurred about 6 a.m. Wednesday at Jamboree and Ford roads, when a Riverside woman hit a 49-year-old Irvine cyclist. The man remains in critical condition, said Sgt. Evan Sailor. The woman fled the scene but was arrested later with damage to her vehicle.

“This underscores the importance of our mission,” said task force member Frank Peters of Corona del Mar. “I’m increasingly impressed with the life and death consequences of these accidents. I’m taking my role much more seriously.”

The Monday meeting will take place in City Council Chambers and is open to the public with a time set aside for public comment. The agenda includes a discussion on Newport Beach Bikeways Master Plan, a discussion of sharrows and a discussion on safe routes to schools.

Read our story on the last meeting, which explains sharrows, here. Read about the first meeting here.