Hemet senior on bicycle hit by SUV, in critical condition

HEMET — A man is in critical condition after an early morning crash between a bicycle and SUV this morning, Monday, Sept. 17. The major injury accident happened in the area of Florida and Palm avenues in Hemet.

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City of Hemet Police and Fire Departments, along with other emergency personnel, were dispatched to the scene about 6:40 a.m., after receiving reports of a bicyclist hit by an SUV.

When officials arrived they found an elderly victim down on the ground with major traumatic injuries. A dark-colored Nissan was stopped nearby along the side of the road and showed front-end and windshield damage from the victim being thrown up and over the SUV.

The victim was eventually rushed to an area hospital with injuries described as major and the elderly man is currently in intensive care, according to Dickson.

Hemet PD’s preliminary investigation revealed the bicyclist, a 65-year-old Hemet-area resident was riding his bicycle east on Florida Ave. near the south curb, Hemet Police Lt. Eric Dickson later explained. At the same time a 20-year-old Hemet area resident was traveling also traveling east on Florida Ave. in the eastbound number two lane in a Nissan SUV.

As the Nissan was about to pass the bicyclist, “the bicyclist may have suddenly turned left and entered the middle of the traffic lane where he was struck by the vehicle,” said Dickson.

The driver of the SUV was not injured in the collision and she remained at the scene and was cooperating with officers and their collision investigation.

“At this time, DUI is not suspected,” said Dickson.

While officials investigated the cause of the crash, eastbound traffic on Florida Ave. was closed at Palm Avenue for about two hours.

Hemet PD’s investigation is ongoing and officials have not released any additional information or updates regarding the bicyclist.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor 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, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with 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, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.