Motorist in Fatal Bicycle Accident Arrested

Police have made an arrest in a fatal bicycle accident that occurred in Pleasanton recently. The motorist, an 18-year-old has been arrested, and has been charged with several counts related to felony vehicular manslaughter and felony reckless driving.

The victim killed in the accident was a 58-year-old bicyclist, who was riding with her husband. The bicyclists were struck by a car driven by the teen driver. The victim’s husband did not suffer serious injuries.

The Pleasanton community is no stranger to bicycle accidents, and this city is believed to be one of the more dangerous cities in California for bicyclists. According to official data from the California Office of Traffic Safety, in 2010, the city of Pleasanton ranked at number 12 on a 103 city-listing of bicycle accidents, comparing cities with similar populations. Pleasanton roads are also highly dangerous for bicyclist below the age of 15. In 2010, the city ranked at number eight in the number of bicycle accidents involving persons of this age.

Even so, the Pleasanton community has been shocked by this accident, especially because it seems that the driver in this case was in the habit of using social media to boast about his high speeds. Just a few months before the fatal accident the driver boasted on his Twitter account of driving at speeds of 140 mph, and jokingly invited his 191 followers to join him for a “death ride.” Soon after this fatal accident, the driver’s Twitter account was closed, but not before he had posted one last gem-“drive fast like young.”

It is quite possible that speeding was a factor in this accident, although there are any number of other factors like distracted driving and driving under the influence that endanger bicyclists in California.