RSSIt’s not unusual to see scores of cyclists cruising along the streets in and around Los Angeles. At times, these groups are riding together for a cause, usually a charitable endeavor or sometimes a memorial for a fallen member of the community. Recently, dozens of individuals on bikes traversed the route from Calabasas to downtown Los Angeles, a trek that is about 30 miles. The cyclists converged on the District Attorney’s office to put pressure on authorities to increase charges against a deputy who struck a bicyclist.
The incident happened in December of last year, when a squad car struck a 65-year-old cyclist on the Mulholland Highway. Allegedly, the sheriff’s deputy behind the wheel of the squad car had been typing on his laptop when he struck the biker. While the accident happened several months ago, it was only recently that the L.A. County DA’s office noted it would not be filing criminal charges against the deputy. Officials cited insufficient evidence as their reason for holding back.
The Sheriff’s Office did mention, though, that it would be performing an internal investigation of the incident. These types of investigations are fairly routine following an event like this; according to a charge-evaluation worksheet used in a review of the event, the deputy in question had been acting within the scope of his duty when his car struck the biker.
A coalition of cyclists disagrees, however. Earlier this month, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition issued a letter to the DA, arguing that the deputy was not actually performing his duties within the law’s scope when the incident took place. Members of the group, over 100 in all, recently protested outside the DA’s office, some holding candles while others held a banner.
It appears the cyclists are not alone in their zeal for charges; a petition on charge.org has already accumulated over 70,000 signatures requesting criminal charges against the deputy. If charges are eventually filed, the deputy will likely have to put forth an assertive defense in the face of public outcry.
To learn about building a defense against serious traffic-related charges such as manslaughter, call the offices of L.A. criminal defender Jonathan Kelman at 310.286.1218.