Breaking News: More Tales Of Gross Injustice By The Police After A Hummer Driver Attacks A Group Of Cyclists. Officer Let's Driver Go.

The forum thread on this topic has gone flying with comments and is hard to follow, but apparently a group of about a dozen cyclists were riding together in Downtown L.A. when a hummer hit a cyclist causing ankle injuries. Others of the group got in front of the vehicle to prevent the driver from getting away, but he plows through anyways smashing several bikes as the riders scatter to avoid being hit. Officer Cho of the LAPD catches the vehicle and the occupants all flee on foot but the driver is wrangled in. However Officer Cho takes the motorists side of the story wholly and sympathizes saying later "If it had been me with my family in that car, I’d have done the same thing, and I carry a gun in my car." The driver of the vehicle is let go with no citations, despite a carnage of wrecked bikes in his path.


This is gross injustice and we should not stand for this. Our safety depends on officers to enforce the law, not let maniacs roam the streets looking for groups of cyclists to smash for their twisted idea of a fun time. Apparently the occupants of the vehicle who later returned alluded to gang connections by telling the cyclists if they talked to the cops they would return "60 crips deep".

More complete coverage on WestSide BikeSide and details continue to emerge on the Midnight Ridazz thread. With stories like this, and a recent story of road cyclists in Ohio being tasered by an officer simply for riding on the road, after being told to get off of it, a not legally justified request made by the officer since they had a right to the road, is it any wonder cyclist and police relations are poor at best and out right seething at worst.

I hope this driver is brought to justice, and the officer demoted, fired, or at the very least reprimanded. It sounds like Los Angeles Critical Mass is going to make some noise at City Hall after stopping at the new ghost bike for a cyclist fatally wounded in Echo Park recently. Cycling activist super hero Stephen Box is also on this issue like peanutbutter on jelly, which make me feel better that something is being done about this. It's getting crazy out there, ride safe, maybe with some legal advice handy and hopefully around witnesses..