A bicyclist was struck by a left-turning van Friday near Griffith Park.
The accident happened about 11:35 a.m. Bicyclist Damian Kevitt, a 36-year-old Los Angeles resident, was westbound on Zoo Dr. A minivan, described by witnesses as an older gray Toyota Sienna, had been stopped in heavy traffic. The van suddenly turned left in front of Kevitt, hitting the cyclist and knocking him to the ground. Kevitt became wedged in the van's undercarriage. The driver of the van accelerated and dragged the bicyclist 600 feet until he became dislodged from the van.
The bicyclist suffered severe injuries. One of his legs had to be amputated below the knee and he suffered numerous broken bones and severe road rash to the chest and back.
The van driver never stopped. He fled the scene, heading southbound on the 5 freeway.
If the driver and owner of the van are never identified, the bicyclist's only recourse will be making an uninsured motorist claim under his own auto insurance policy, if he has the coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage applies to bicyclists who are struck by uninsured drivers. At McGee, Lerer & Associates, we strongly advocate that bicycle riders carry uninsured motorist coverage on their vehicles to protect themselves should they be hit by an uninsured driver, or a driver who doesn't carry enough liability insurance.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident or hit-and-run accident, speak with a Santa Monica bicycle accident attorney at McGee, Lerer & Associates. If you retain our firm to represent you, there is no fee unless we are able to collect money for you. Our fee is a percentage of what we collect. A lawyer at our firm is available 24/7 for a free consultation. We have offices in Santa Monica, Pasadena, Los Angeles and Long Beach.