Helmetless Cyclist Suffers Traumatic Head Injury at Avenue 64 and Church Street

On the night of June 16th, 2013 at approximately 10:55 PM, residents of Garvanza were alerted to an accident after hearing screeching tire wheels just outside their homes. A helmet-less cyclist heading south on Avenue 64 after rounding Avenue 64 at Burleigh was observed to speed-wobble, possibly as he tried to break to slow his speed, witnesses said, apparently as he entered the intersection of Avenue 64 and Church Street. The 43 year old man was observed to have been thrown off his bike, landing head first onto the pavement where he remained unconscious for 15 minutes before the Fire Department arrived and took him to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. This incident traumatized neighbors and only served to remind them that the high velocity with which vehicles and bike riders travel south on Avenue 64 remains a problem even though 4-Way Stops Signs were placed at the intersection just a few years ago demanded by residents of both Los Angeles and Pasadena. At this first phase intervention to control speeds on Avenue 64 has not worked to the degree we needed it to, it has become necessary that these two cities support the installation of traffic lights to control vehicular speeds to ensure complete stops are made by all travelers on the road. Speed humps on Church will also need to be granted. Please look out for future calls to action as the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers in the area become the motivating force behind launching a new updated effort. Meanwhile, in regard to the cyclist, we understand that he got through surgery, but his prognosis is not known at this time. We hope for his recovery, but the extent of his massive head injury was great due to the high speed in which he hit the pavement