A 44-year-old bicyclist identified as Heather Maciel died in a collision that occurred in Tulare County, California. Authorities confirmed the victim’s identity on Tuesday, June 2, according to accident reports.
The California Highway Patrol, in their reports, said that the accident happened on Friday, May 29, around 7 pm. It occurred in the areas of Blackstone Street and Prosperity Avenue.
Have you or a loved one been involved in an accident? Speak to a lawyer for a free no obligation consultation
Or call us at (888) 699-7975
According to the CHP, Barry Tarrell Dantzler, a 30-year-old, was being sought for by the police in connection to a homicide. They spotted the suspect Motel 6 and made to stop him.
However, Dantzler refused to stop his vehicle and answer questions from officers and drove at high speed. The police followed him, leading to a high-speed chase.
While speeding, the suspect lost control of his vehicle and struck Maciel, who was riding his bicycle. The accident victim didn’t survive the collision and died at the scene of the crash.
Following the crash, Dantzler stepped out of his vehicle and took to his heels. Officers later found him hiding and arrested him.
The police are currently investigating the incident and are yet to release further information about it.
Motorists must always obey authorities and stop when law enforcement officers ask them to. Driving off and instigating a police chase often leads to road crashes, injuries, and death.
Furthermore, the suspect ends up incurring more charges, leading to more severe punishments according to the law.
Accident reports show that most road crashes are avoidable and would never have occurred if the motorists involved had obeyed traffic laws. Hence drivers must heed these laws and abide by them at all times.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.