Motorcyclist Critical After Slamming Into Vehicle During Police Pursuit
COLTON (CBSLA.com) — Authorities said a motorcyclist ran a stop sign and slammed into a car in Fontana Thursday afternoon leaving several people injured.
"It was a major bang, I thought it was a car and a car," said Victor Tapia who heard the impact of the accident that occurred just outside his home.
From the sound of the crash -- at the intersection of Miller and Mango -- he knew things were serious.
CBS 2's Tina Patel reported from the scene.
She also spoke to Rosie Duncombe who said her daughter was driving the car and that her boyfriend's 92-year-old grandfather were both injured.
"I don't know if he hit his head on the windshield but the windshield was all busted up, he had some blood, he was in shock," said Duncombe.
Police said they had been chasing the cyclist for about a mile. They said they were trying to get him to pull over after allegedly witnessing him doing several stunts on city streets.
They said they hoped they could get him to pull over and stop the pursuit before someone got hurt.
"He could have pulled over, probably the most that would have happened would have at this point been a traffic ticket," said Fontana Police Sgt. Kevin Goltara.
Instead, the cyclist was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in critical condition.
The man's friends didn't want to appear on camera but they confirmed with Patel that he was a recruit with the Exile Ryders group in the Inland Empire.
You Tube video of the group shows them performing wheelies and other stunts on public roads.
This is the second accident involving a motorcycle group in the Inland Empire. A member of the Ruthless Ryders died this weekend after he tried to stand on the seat of his bike and fell on the 15 Freeway.
Tapia doesn't understand why riders are taking such chances.
"Maybe youngsters that are looking for some kind of fame," he said.
Duncombe is hoping the cyclist recovers -- and learns a lesson.
"I am upset, why did he run? There's stop signs. he's riding a bike. Look what he did to my daughter," she said.
Duncombe's daughter and the older gentleman are expected to survive. The cyclist has been upgraded to stable condition.
