Fiesta Island Incident Update and Fundraiser for Paralyzed Rider Juan Carlos Vinolo

[ptourkin]

Last Tuesday night at the regular training session on Fiesta Island, a wrong way driver on meth took out the front of the pack, wiping out 8 riders and ultimately resulting in a serious life-altering injury to one.

Fiesta Island is a 4.1 mile closed loop and is considered one of the safest places to ride in San Diego and is the site of many sanctioned time trials and the regular Thursday night worlds.

Riders in many local clubs participate in the Tuesday training sessions and I think all of us know people who were involved.

I attended the arraignment of the driver Friday and it was chilling to hear the ADA read off the current state of Juan Carlos' injuries, which include a severed spine between C4 and C6 resulting in permanent paralysis.

His family started a GoFundme to help him with expenses. He is the sole breadwinner for his family, which includes children. Help if you can.

http://www.gofundme.com/d1nuf8


http://www.10news.com/news/theresa-owens-pleads-not-guilty-in-wrong-way-crash-that-injured-cyclists-on-fiesta-island

[Jeff N.]

Terrible. I ride around Fiesta Island all the time.

[Ken Robb]

To understand how this happened you need to know that the center of Fiesta Island is enclosed by a sand berm 10 feet high and the road is circular and one-way counter-clockwise. Almost all packs of riders will hug the inside line (left side of the pavement) because that's what racers do.
When this car went the wrong way it hugged the road on its right side which was the same part of the pavement the cyclists were on. If the bikes were going 20+ mph and the car was doing the same we have a closing speed of 40+mph.
The sight-line at the accident site was probably less that 100 feet so MAYBE a solo rider might have been able to dodge off the pavement into sand for a lesser crash but riders in a pack had limited options.

[ptourkin]

To understand how this happened you need to know that the center of Fiesta Island is enclosed by a sand berm 10 feet high and the road is circular and one-way counter-clockwise. Almost all packs of riders will hug the inside line (left side of the pavement) because that's what racers do.
When this car went the wrong way it hugged the road on its right side which was the same part of the pavement the cyclists were on. If the bikes were going 20+ mph and the car was doing the same we have a closing speed of 40+mph.
The sight-line at the accident site was probably less that 100 feet so MAYBE a solo rider might have been able to dodge off the pavement into sand for a lesser crash but riders in a pack had limited options.

Good explanation Ken. Some of the riders at the front saw her coming and at the last second, pushed other riders off the road into the sand.

Also, at the arraignment, it was revealed that at the hospital, they found a baggy of meth in her lady parts. Her bail was set at $300,000 on Friday and someone has posted the bond and she's out. There's a status hearing on the 22nd.

[ptourkin]

Another update: San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has confirmed he's coming out tomorrow night for this event. I encourage any local forum members to come out as well:

**Juan Carlos Viñolo remains hospitalized in critical condition from our Tuesday night ride. Juan Carlos was one of several cyclists hit by a suspected DUI driver at Fiesta Island. Juan Carlos sustained the most serious injuries, among the group. The ride is a good way to show support for Juan Carlos and his family. He has two children, ages 4 and 6.

Ride Details

* Fiesta Island (Meet at the entrance of the Youth Camp and the Aquatic Center)
* 5:45p meet, 6:00p roll
* Two laps
* Moderate to slow pace
* Avoid riding more than two abreast
* Bring a friend - All cyclist welcome (road, tri, mountain, beach cruiser, etc.)**

[Jeff N.]

I'm going to try like heck to make it! Jeff N.

[Gummee]

Yannow... all the years I rode the Thursday night rides, I never, ever once thought someone would be stupid enough to try and drive the wrong way on that road. Its just too difficult to do, but yet... here we are!

EVERYone knows FI is one way. The roads are all laid out that way. Everyone drives around to get to wherever they're going.

Its a bloody shame.

...but the silver lining in the cloud may be more awareness that cars can and do cause serious injuries to cyclists. Maybe, just maybe people will think twice before acting stupid.

Doubt it, but you can dream, right?!

M

[Ken Robb]

Yannow... all the years I rode the Thursday night rides, I never, ever once thought someone would be stupid enough to try and drive the wrong way on that road. Its just too difficult to do, but yet... here we are!

EVERYone knows FI is one way. The roads are all laid out that way. Everyone drives around to get to wherever they're going.

Its a bloody shame.

...but the silver lining in the cloud may be more awareness that cars can and do cause serious injuries to cyclists. Maybe, just maybe people will think twice before acting stupid.

Doubt it, but you can dream, right?!

M
The driver has a long history as a substance-abuser and I'm afraid those people don't/can't think.

[tuxbailey]

So tragic. I hope they throw the books on her.

[wasfast]

I'm hoping that it doesn't cause the City government additional concerns about Fiesta Island for cycling.

The Skyflash/Fiesta Island TT series was cancelled in May due to a severe escallation of City fees for a permit. The email I received from the organizer said the fee went from $1800 for a full year to $1800 PER EVENT. The city said that there had been an issue last fall during a triathlon event where a tow truck driver ran a cable across the road and took down some riders.

This one could be viewed as similar at face value, no wrongdoing on part of the cyclists but liability is liability. Is the series actually sanctioned by the city or is it just a "show up and ride"?

[ptourkin]

Spectacular turnout last night. The sub- headline on the NBC story is misleading. 400 people RSVP'd on Facebook but there were well over a 1,000 on the island riding.

San Diego's mayor Kevin Faulconer and police chief Shelley Zimmerman led the stream of cyclists as they completed two laps around the island.

"Tonight, you represent the best of who we are as San Diegans, sending a very strong message," Faulconer told the hundreds of bikers before they started off.

"Its a grim reminder, what happened here last Tuesday, that a life can be changed in just an instant," Zimmerman said, adding, "make no mistake: what happened last Tuesday was not an accident. It was a crime."

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Cyclists-Ride-to-Support-Fiesta-Island-Crash-Victims--271938211.html

http://www.10news.com/news/tribute-ride-tuesday-for-fiesta-island-crash-victim

http://www.kusi.com/story/26322275/cyclists-gather-in-fiesta-island-for-injured-rider

http://www.cbs8.com/story/26321792/fiesta-island-bike-ride-in-honor-of-injured-man

[Gummee]

I'd probably even have skipped Tues Night Racing at the track to do that.

M

[ptourkin]

Stopped to pick up some Modern Times IPA and still made it to TNR for the second race. :bike: