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Bicyclist faces up to one year in county jail for fatal accident.
Twenty-three-year-old Randolph Ang faces up to one year in county jail in the bicycle accident death of Dionette Alvarez Cherney.
Cherney, 68, was crossing Embarcadero at Mission Street around 8:30 a.m. on July 15th when she was struck by a bicycle ridden by Ang. Cherney, a Washington D.C. resident who was visiting San Francisco, was knocked to the ground. She was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, where she later died on August 11th after being on life support. Her cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the head.
Cherney was the first pedestrian to die as a result of a bicycle accident in the San Francisco area in five years.
At the time of the accident, Ang appeared shaken but was cooperative with police. He surrendered his bike to law enforcement and there was no evidence that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
San Francisco detectives conducted a thorough investigation of the incident and later determined that Ang was riding recklessly. Police say that Cherney was crossing the street legally when Ang ran a red light, causing the fatal collision.
The incident caused a public outcry among San Francisco residents, particularly since prosecutors failed to charge Ang at the time of Cherney's death. In September, prosecutors stated that they were waiting for the medical examiner's report to be completed before determining if charges were merited.
The district attorney's office received the completed report on November 9th. The next day, the DA's office filed charges of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter against Ang, which carries a sentence of up to one year in county jail. Ang's arraignment is scheduled for November 23rd.
According to the San Francisco PD, 18 pedestrians were involved in collisions with bicycles last year. The Bay Citizen's Bike Accident Tracker found that one of the leading causes of bicycle-pedestrian accidents is bicyclists who run red lights or ignore other traffic safety signals.
Under California law, bicyclists are afforded the same rights as motorists but they are also expected to follow the same rules of the road. In this case, the bicyclist's careless actions lead to the death of an unsuspecting pedestrian. In addition to a potential jail sentence, Ang could also face a wrongful death suit brought by the victim's family. If a judgment is entered against him, he could be required to pay damages to the family for Ms. Cherney's medical bills, burial expenses, lost wages and their pain and suffering.
If you or someone you loved has been involved in a bicycle accident that left you seriously injured through no fault of your own, you need to speak with a San Francisco bicycle accident attorney right away. The law firm of Nadrich & Cohen is here to help victims like you get the compensation you need and deserve.
Call our Injury Hotline at 1-800-718-4658 to speak with a member of our bicycle accident injury team. We'll evaluate your case for free and there is never a fee unless we recover a money judgment on your behalf. Call now to discuss your San Francisco bicycle accident injury claim.
