Intoxicated man hit by sidewalk bicyclist has minor injuries
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Police Department
Published: January 25, 2013
An accident just waiting to happen did Tuesday evening when a bicyclist riding on the sidewalk struck an intoxicated man, who was transported to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The incident, according to Santa Paula Police Sr. Detective Ken Clark, occurred January 22 at 7:12 p.m. The unidentified female bicyclist was traveling east on the south sidewalk of the 700 block of Santa Barbara Street when she struck the pedestrian.
Clark said the male pedestrian was walking west on the sidewalk when he “apparently stumbled into her path” and was hit by the bicycle, which was traveling at an unknown speed. The bicyclist, said Clark, “did not sustain any injuries” in the collision.
Santa Paula Police and Santa Paula Fire EMTs responded to the scene where the pedestrian was treated on the sidewalk before being transported to Santa Paula Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. No citations, said Clark, were issued.
There is an ordinance banning riding bicycles, skateboards and other wheeled equipment on the sidewalks of the Downtown Central Business District and adjacent side streets, but Tuesday’s incident occurred outside the boundary.
But no matter where, noted Clark, “It is unsafe to be riding bicycles on sidewalks where there are pedestrians. The bicyclist should follow the rules of the road and ride on the street in the same direction as traffic.”
|
