Witnesses crowd around a motorcyclist who crashed his bike into a pole after running a red light in the area of Fourth Street and Redondo Avenue. Photos by Brittany Woolsey
FEBRUARY 26 11:27AM | Police have released more information regarding an incident Wednesday evening in which a 33-year-old male motorcyclist from Temecula crashed into a pole and died shortly thereafter at a local hospital.
Long Beach Police Department officers dispatched to the area of Redondo Avenue and Fourth Street regarding an injury traffic collision at about 7:16PM, police said in a statement Thursday morning.
Arriving officers found that a 2013 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle had collided with a 2007 Nissan Murano.
A preliminary investigation found that the motorcyclist, only identified at this point as a 33-year-old resident of Temecula, failed to stop for the red light at Fourth Street and collided into the Nissan.
“The motorcyclist was traveling northbound on Redondo Avenue approaching a yellow light at 4th Street at a high rate of speed,” police said. “Three northbound vehicles stopped in the #1 and #2 lanes, for the signal that had just turned red. The motorcyclist split traffic between the two lanes, entered the intersection on a red light, and struck the Nissan. The Nissan Murano, driven by a 45-year-old resident of Long Beach, was initiating a left turn from southbound Redondo Avenue to eastbound 4th Street when it was struck.”
After he was hit, the motorcyclist veered right, slid on the ground and collided into a traffic light pole. The man then became trapped between his motorcycle and the pole.
The Nissan driver, a 45-year-old emergency room nurse from Long Beach who did not sustain any injuries, immediately stopped, exited her vehicle and rendered aid to the motorcyclist.
Long Beach Fire Department paramedics responded and transported the motorcyclist to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Police said the motorcyclist’s identity is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Collision Investigations Detective Steve Fox at 562-570-7110. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or text TIPLA plus your tip to 274637 (CRIMES), or visit www.LACrimeStoppers.org.
FEBRUARY 25 9:23PM | A male motorcyclist who crashed his motorcycle into a light pole after running a red light and being struck by an SUV was pronounced dead at a local hospital, confirmed Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman Megan Zabel at 9:14PM.
The accident investigation detail is on scene to investigate, she said, and the LBPD is expected to issue a full press release Thursday morning with all details.
7:50PM | A male motorcyclist is in critical condition after he hit a light pole in the area of Fourth Street and Redondo Avenue on Wednesday evening.
Eyewitnesses at the scene said the man ran a red light and was clipped by a silver SUV that was making a left turn onto Fourth Street from Redondo Avenue.
Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) spokeswoman Megan Zabel confirmed that at about 7:17PM officers dispatched to the area regarding an injury traffic collision involving one motorcycle and one vehicle.
Witnesses at the scene told the Long Beach Post that after the motorcyclist ran a red light, the SUV clipped the motorcycle, and as a result, the motorcycle hit a light pole. The driver of the SUV pulled over and stayed at the scene to speak with authorities. The SUV sustained damage to the left, front bumper.
Fire department personnel performed CPR on the motorcyclist for about 15 minutes before he was transported to a local hospital by ambulance.
Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) spokesman Brian Fisk said the motorcyclist, identified only as a male adult, was in traumatic full arrest.
“The percentage of survivability, just generally speaking for traumatic full arrest, is very, very low, like less than one percent,” he said.
Police have closed off part of Fourth street near Redondo while the scene is cleared.
No additional information is available at this time. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
