Bicyclist killed crossing Florida Ave in Hemet
A Jeep Grand Cherokee involved in the fatal accident had heavy front end damage after the collision. Gary Rainwater photo
HEMET – A 34-year-old Hemet resident was fatally struck by an SUV this morning Sept. 7. The deadly accident happened in the 900 block of West Florida Avenue in Hemet at about 6:02 a.m.
Hemet Police officers and other emergency first responders rushed to the traffic collision after several motorists and witnesses called 911 to report the fatal accident.
Officers, paramedics from The Hemet Fire Department and American Medical Response personnel arrived and located a mangled bicycle and a red Jeep Cherokee with heavy front end damage in the street. They also located the gravely injured bicyclist down in the roadway.
“Emergency medical personnel tried desperately to revive the man who had been riding the bicycle,” according to a press release from the department. However, the man succumbed to his injuries and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim has not been identified pending identification and notification of the man’s family.
Officers from the department’s Traffic Division assumed the investigation. Gary Rainwater photo
Officers from Hemet Police Department’s Traffic Division responded to the scene and conducted an accident investigation.
During their investigation, officials determined the man was riding his bicycle in the roadway near the intersection of Florida Avenue and Western Avenue.
The press release explained it was dark outside and the bicyclist was wearing dark blue jeans and a black polo shirt. There were no lights or reflectors on the victim’s bicycle, according to the release.
At the same time, a 54-year-old woman, who is also a resident of Hemet, was driving westbound on Florida Avenue in her Jeep SUV when the bicyclist suddenly entered the roadway directly into the path of the SUV and a collision occurred. After the accident, the driver of the SUV stopped and remained on scene until police arrived. She is reportedly cooperating fully with the investigation.
Hemet Police volunteers helped close streets and direct traffic during the accident investigation. Gary Rainwater photo
“At this time, it does not appear the woman was speeding and there are no signs she was driving while impaired,” the release stated.
Florida Avenue was closed to through traffic between Palm and Hamilton Avenues for about three hours while Traffic Division officers documented the collision scene and conducted their investigation.
If you or someone you know witnessed this incident, you are urged to contact Hemet Police officials at (951) 765-2400.
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 10 (soon to be 12) grandchildren.
Pingback: Lightless bike rider killed in pre-dawn Hemet crash |