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Hit and run during vigil for US cyclist killed in hit and run

Junction was blocked and at some point protest turned violent

A man at a vigil for a cyclist killed in a hit and run was himself the victim of a hit and run in Los Angeles on Wednesday. KTLA reports that the incident took place at the exact same spot, a day after the cyclist was hit.

People had gathered at the junction of Normandie and Manchester avenues to remember cyclist Frederick Frazier, a 22-year-old who was killed after being hit by the driver of a white Porsche Cayenne who then fled the scene.

About 100 people were at the vigil and according to LAPD Captain Rafael Ramirez, "basically took over the intersection."

The female driver of a gold Toyota sedan first tried to push through the protestors and then got out and can be seen in footage slapping at least one cyclist.

According to Ramirez, a police officer came across the scene at around this point and several protestors attacked the car, throwing their bikes at it and kicking and punching it.

In the ensuing melee, the Toyota driver again tried to get through the junction and then eventually just started driving, hitting a pedestrian, who went flying.

The victim was Quatrell Stallings, a friend of Frazier’s, who had apparently been trying to help keep the gathering under control and was at the time helping a woman and her dogs cross the street.

Stallings was able to limp to the pavement but has since undergone surgery for injuries to his femur, knee and ankle.

The driver has not yet been tracked down. Ramirez said that she may have been afraid for her safety due to the size of the crowd, but that wouldn't excuse fleeing the scene of a crash.

"Hit and runs are already at an epidemic level in LA," commented Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Erik Jansen. "When another happens during a vigil for a bicyclist killed the day before, when are elected officials going to do something for traffic safety? If not now, when?"

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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13 comments

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FluffyKittenofT... | 5 years ago
0 likes

I'm shocked that something like this can happen in the US and nobody, cop, driver,  alleged 'riotors', or deranged driver, pulled  a gun or shot anyone.

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Jamminatrix | 5 years ago
1 like

This whole thing has been misleading from the start. 

 

The pedestrians in the intersectoin had nothing to do with a vigil for a fallen cyclist, they were protestors biggypacking on the "event" and using it for mischievous behavior.

 

The car blatantly ran a read light, although they claim they were swarmed by protestors.  The courts will decide it out who is at fault.  But this wasn't a typical memorial ride gone bad.

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velo-nh | 5 years ago
0 likes

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.  The crowd wasn't just going after the car involved, they were also beating on the fully marked police vehicle.  That's a riot.  I think it's very unlikely that the other motorist would be charged with anything more than failing to stop at the scene.  This story is completely bizarre.. everyone knows there's a problem with hit and run drivers so they circle around like idiots in the path of motorists?  Great idea, real rocket scientists.

 

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OR_biker | 5 years ago
4 likes

The driver should really be charged with attempted murder in this case.  The cops give a weak scolding in the statement that she may have feared for her safety but shouldn't have fled the scene.  She had already left the scene and then returned!  That appears premeditated at that point.  She returned with intent to harm, and almost killed someone.  Several other people (including a news cameraman) were lucky they didn't get hit as well.

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mathcore | 5 years ago
2 likes

People have no respect for peoples paying a last tribute to a friend who passed away a day earlier ? No respect for the deads? 50 cyclists , a big photo of him , ghost bike , love messages , flowers , candles and she still miss the connection ?  May Frederick rest in peace . 

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brooksby | 5 years ago
2 likes

That is really, *really* horrendous. How the policeman could even begin to explain/justify anything to do with that just beggars belief... 

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Pudsey Pedaller | 5 years ago
7 likes

If you want to know how seriously the police are likely to take this then you just need to listen to how the office being interviewed tried to paint the driver out as the victim:

Sgt. Rudy Ramirez wrote:

My main concerns at the time were, one was my safety. Also, there was another female who had either been taken out of her car or had exited her vehicle, and I know the crowd had started turning on her and was striking her, so her safety was also on my mind.'

This would be the same lady who is seen in the video attacking a cyclist in the road before getting into her car and driving into a pedestrian.

Also, his thoughts were to the safety of the people, himself included, who were in their big metal boxes.

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The_Vermonter replied to Pudsey Pedaller | 5 years ago
3 likes

Pudsey Pedaller wrote:

If you want to know how seriously the police are likely to take this then you just need to listen to how the office being interviewed tried to paint the driver out as the victim:

Sgt. Rudy Ramirez wrote:

My main concerns at the time were, one was my safety. Also, there was another female who had either been taken out of her car or had exited her vehicle, and I know the crowd had started turning on her and was striking her, so her safety was also on my mind.'

This would be the same lady who is seen in the video attacking a cyclist in the road before getting into her car and driving into a pedestrian.

Also, his thoughts were to the safety of the people, himself included, who were in their big metal boxes.

 

The officer had an obligation to not allow a justifiably angry mob to kill someone. The person in the car is human garbage. This is not debatable. However, justice should be served in courts, not by a mob.  

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Pudsey Pedaller replied to The_Vermonter | 5 years ago
2 likes

The_Vermonter wrote:

Pudsey Pedaller wrote:

If you want to know how seriously the police are likely to take this then you just need to listen to how the office being interviewed tried to paint the driver out as the victim:

Sgt. Rudy Ramirez wrote:

My main concerns at the time were, one was my safety. Also, there was another female who had either been taken out of her car or had exited her vehicle, and I know the crowd had started turning on her and was striking her, so her safety was also on my mind.'

This would be the same lady who is seen in the video attacking a cyclist in the road before getting into her car and driving into a pedestrian.

Also, his thoughts were to the safety of the people, himself included, who were in their big metal boxes.

 

The officer had an obligation to not allow a justifiably angry mob to kill someone. The person in the car is human garbage. This is not debatable. However, justice should be served in courts, not by a mob.  

I agree it should be served in court, but for that to happen, she would need to be charged, which in turn would depend on the police taking it seriously.

The officer had a duty of care to everyone there, but from his comments, this didn't seem to be the case. Firstly, his comment suggesting the driver may have been taken from her vehicle is suggestive of bias in favour of the motorist.

He also appears to be aware of the crowd allegedly striking the driver, but not the driver striking the cyclist.

While it's possible he wasn't aware of all of the facts when he did the interview, that's all the more reason not to make the comments he did.

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Kendalred | 5 years ago
3 likes

No matter how bad it get's here, we need to sometimes remember that it's much worse in other countries.

That still shouldn't stop us from fighting for a better situation here though.

I was riding alongside an Austrian couple the other day, and they remarked how good the drivers were here (Lake District) - then 5 minutes later some moton sounded their horn and gesticulated at us for riding two abreast as they overtook us!

 

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Legs_Eleven_Wor... replied to Kendalred | 5 years ago
8 likes

KendalRed wrote:

I was riding alongside an Austrian couple the other day, and they remarked how good the drivers were here (Lake District) - then 5 minutes later some moton sounded their horn and gesticulated at us for riding two abreast as they overtook us!

 

Something similar happened when the missus and I were in Norfolk a couple of years ago.  Riding along with a Dutch couple, and some twat sounded his horn and yelled 'get in single file!' as he drove past.

Said twat was twattish enough to do this about a quarter of a mile before a country pub, and then to pull into the car park. 

We rode into the car park, Dutch bloke got off his bike, walked up the driver and without a word, punched him so hard on the face that the guy bounced back against his car and fell to the ground, clutching his nose, out of which copious quantities of blood were seen to be pouring.

Nasty, but necessary.  

I bought Dutch bloke a pint.

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HLaB | 5 years ago
1 like

 Im at work (no sound) but there was plenty of cops on the scene sad

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
2 likes

Dagnammit - I posted this earlier into the Forum. Should have just waited.

If you watch the video, be warned that you see the pedestrian clearly thrown into the air. The car goes through the red light with a clear intention of running them over.

Now, it's just a case of waiting for Legs11 to start the guns-for-cyclists rally.

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