Driver arrested in fatal Montclair Halloween bicycle crash that killed two
A 38-year-old Montclair resident was arrested after a suspected drunken driving collision left two people dead in San Bernardino County. The late Saturday night collision also injured two other riders in the group.
The incident occurred shortly before 11 p.m. at Kingsley Street and Tudor Avenue in Montclair, police said. Investigators said about 30 bicyclists were traveling eastbound on Kingsley Street. A westbound 2021 Honda Accord struck several riders.
The motorist fled the scene immediately after striking the riders, authorities said. A neighbor told reporters he heard a loud thud outside his home. He said the motorist did not stop.
A 25-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other bicyclists were taken to a local hospital. A 30-year-old woman later died from her injuries at the hospital.
A third hospitalized victim suffered major injuries. That person remained in stable condition, police said. A fourth bicyclist suffered a minor head laceration. That rider declined further medical treatment against medical advice.
The group participated in a self-coordinated holiday ride, witnesses told police. The event was not sponsored, organized, or affiliated with the city of Montclair. The identities of the victims have not been released.
Video footage showed several bicycles scattered across the roadway. One victim was reportedly dragged more than a mile before being left in a residential neighborhood. Police did not address that detail in their news release.
About 10 to 15 minutes after the sound, several people arrived on bicycles. The neighbor described them as visibly distraught. They were trying to determine what happened.
Officers and detectives used witness information to locate the suspected motorist early Sunday morning. They found him at his residence near the scene, police said.
He was arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center. He faces booking on suspicion of driving under the influence causing injury or death. He was also booked for driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher causing injury or death.
The booking also included felony hit-and-run involving death or serious injury. Police also cited gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated involves allegations of operating a vehicle while impaired and committing an unlawful act with gross negligence. Cases involving fatal collisions typically require investigators to reconstruct vehicle movements and examine physical evidence from the roadway.
Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact the Montclair Police Department at 909-621-4771. Anonymous tips can be submitted to WeTip at 800-78-CRIME.
