Quick Take
Santa Cruz pedestrian Helen Hines died Sunday after a collision with an e-bike rider Friday morning, according to her daughter, Cindy Diola. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the accident, which happened on Opal Cliff Drive when an 80-year-old man riding an e-bike collided with Hines.
After a man on an e-bike collided with a woman walking early Friday morning on Opal Cliff Drive, the pedestrian, 82-year-old Helen Hines, died from her injuries Sunday.
Hines’ daughter, Cindy Diola, confirmed her passing with Lookout.
The e-bike rider, an 80-year-old Santa Cruz resident, also sustained injuries in the collision and was transported by ambulance to Dominican Hospital. California Highway Patrol officer Israel Murillo said Tuesday he didn’t know the man’s condition.
At about 5:50 a.m. Friday, CHP officers responded to a report of a crash on Opal Cliff Drive just east of Court Drive.
The e-bike rider was riding at an unknown speed “on the right shoulder of Opal Cliff Drive” when, for an undetermined reason, a collision occurred with Hines as she was walking east of the bicyclist. The man was riding an Aventon Pace 500 electric bicycle.
Hines sustained major injuries and was transported by air to Valley Medical Center.
On Tuesday, Murillo said CHP wasn’t releasing any additional details at the moment and is investigating the collision. He said it’s unclear how long it will take to conclude that investigation.
“We look at every piece of evidence,” he said. “Lots goes into a fatality crash.”
CHP officers said they don’t believe alcohol or drugs were involved in the collision.
Last month, Lookout reported on the concerns around e-bikes, specifically the surge in use among youth. Capitola and Santa Cruz police departments provided data on the number of collisions in their jurisdictions over the past several years.
The data showed a gradual increase, which Santa Cruz Police Chief Bernie Escalante theorized was more due to the significant increase in the number of e-bikes than a rising lack of following the law and safe practices. Escalante said in the city of Santa Cruz in 2022, there were 12 reported incidents with e-bikes, 25 in 2023 and 30 for 2024 through mid-September.
In 2023 in the CHP’s jurisdiction, which covers unincorporated areas of the county, there were a total of 67 bicycle incidents or collisions, Murillo said, of which 18 involved e-bikes. Of the e-bike crashes, four were juveniles who sustained injuries. No bicyclists or e-bike riders were involved in fatal incidents.
The death of Hines on Sunday was the first pedestrian death involving an e-bike this year, according to Murillo. He added that there have been no deaths among e-bike riders or bicyclists so far this year.
This year so far, he said there have been 82 bicycle crashes in CHP’s jurisdiction. More than half, 42, involved e-bikes, and 32 of those had reported injuries. Of the 32 reported injuries, 15 were juveniles.
Murillo said the CHP is taking e-bike safety seriously and has been compiling this data to provide educational information to families.
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