Crime & Safety

CHP Changes Findings in Fatal Cycling Accident Investigation

Results of the investigation could affect the lawsuit filed by the cyclist's family.

California Highway Patrol announced today that it has revised its assessment of a between a big rig and a biker that took place last November on Alpine Road.

A month after the accident, the investigation team cyclist was to blame for the accident.   

After reviewing the data from the initial report, conducting a forensics analysis, and reconstructing the events that transpired that day, CHP Spokesman Art Montiel says their findings have changed.

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“It has been determined the big rig truck and bicycle came into contact with the left front portion of the truck colliding with the right rear portion of the bicycle, while the bike was still in an upright position,“ Montiel said.

The family of the cyclist from Los Altos Hills, Lauren Ward, has against the truck driver who was at the wheel of the big rig that killed her, saying that his previous involvement in a fatal accident should show precedent for reckless behavior.

For the past 10 months, the ability to determine who was at fault during the incident rested on the results of the investigation, which was primarily conducted to sort where the cyclist and the driver were immediately before they collided.

The family's attorney could not be reached for comment by publication time.

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