Car in Revere with bicycle wedged in front
State Police report arresting an Everett man on charges he drove into a bicyclist on Revere Beach Parkway in Revere early this morning, then just kept driving.
The bicyclist, a 56-year-old man from Winthrop, was taken to Mass. General with injuries not considered life threatening after the 2:20 am. crash, State Police say.
State Police say that not long after the crash, Chelsea Police stopped Josue Flores-Ochoa, 27, of Everett, on Washington Avenue in Chelsea - the bicycle still attached to the front end of his car.
Flores-Ochoa was charged with OUI, leaving the scene of a personal-injury crash, driving without a license and negligent operation.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
Hell
By Will LaTulippe
Sun, 06/17/2018 - 6:50pm
How about larceny for taking the bicycle?
I'm concerned about the human
By anon
Sun, 06/17/2018 - 9:47pm
I'm concerned about the human being, not replaceable material property. Sheesh.
Or assault with a deadly
By Kinopio
Sun, 06/17/2018 - 10:35pm
Or assault with a deadly weapon.
Serious Injuries Aren't Necessarily "Life-Threatening"
By Elmer
Sun, 06/17/2018 - 8:31pm
In the wake of all kinds of accidents, when injuries are reported as non-critical or not life threatening, there's too often a takeaway of— no need to worry about the injured individual; they're going to be fine!
Well, it's just not that simple. Someone can suffer serious, life-changing injuries, which technically aren't considered life-threatening. In a car-bicycle accident, it's quite possible for the bicyclist to suffer multiple broken limbs, skin abrasions and lacerations requiring suturing or other surgery to repair, even serious internal injuries; things that may take months to heal, or could even leave the person permanently disabled— yet, the injuries wouldn't be considered "life-threatening".
I have no details of what actually happened to the gentleman riding his bicycle last night. I can imagine he might have been on his way home from work, as there's no Ⓣ service at that hour. What we do know, is he didn't walk away from the accident— he suffered significant physical and mental trauma, all because of an irresponsible motor vehicle operator.
Best Wishes to the bicyclist !
Exactly
By lobster nanny
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 1:55pm
Head injuries may also be severe, life long and drastically affect the quality of life. Usually multiple traumatic injuries result in huge and permanent financial losses. Rarely is the person able to fully recover and re-join the work force in his or her former capacity.
Well said, Elmer.
By Lee
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 3:51pm
I also wonder how true it is when reports of a crash say no one was injured. A person may not suffer obvious physical injuries after a crash or near crash but the psychological stress suffered can be quite serious, enough to send someone’s blood pressure dangerously high, cause PTSD and any stress related physical problems.
I hope this cyclist is okay and his bike is repairable and I hope this drunk driver loses his license.
Revolting. The driver should
By anon
Sun, 06/17/2018 - 9:32pm
Revolting. The driver should be behind bars and not behind the wheel. Hope the man on the bike makes a full recovery,
I'm no lawyer....
By merlinmurph
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 3:27am
...but I believe that picture is called "evidence".
.
By merlinmurph
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 3:27am
(sorry)
General question
By Scauma
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 8:48am
First and foremost thoughts and well wishes to the victim, drunk drivers deserve 0 sympathy or understanding for their actions.
But question, why is it (or is it?) illegal to ride bikes on the sidewalk? I'm not an avid biker and not I'm not familiar with all the rules, so I'm just wondering. And if you are a biker, do you ever ride on the sidewalk late at night when the propensity for drunk drivers, and low visibility are higher?
Okay to ride on sidewalks
By Cranky
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 9:22am
Unless it's otherwise posted, it's okay to ride on sidewalks. The posted areas are usually business areas.
I totally understand why bicyclists sometimes choose the sidewalk, but, as a pedestrian, can I ask a favor? Please use a bell or say "on your left" before zipping past me from behind. I can't tell you the number of times I've had the bejesus scared out of me by a bicyclist whizzing past. I fear the day when I zig, the cyclist zags, and we both end up in a heap. Let's help each other stay safe, okay?
I hope the cyclist in this case has a speedy recovery!
Thanks for the info
By Scauma
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 9:36am
To be fair, a collision between a pedestrian and cyclist is a lot less trouble than a cyclist and a car.
important note
By surprisefries
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 9:48am
Cyclists riding on the sidewalk are legally required to do that, also (I believe but am not 100% sure) they are required to ride at approximately pedestrian speed.
It's not illegal to ride on
By surprisefries
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 9:23am
It's not illegal to ride on the sidewalk in most places, (generally) just in "business districts" or other places where there are lots of pedestrians.
I rarely ride on the sidewalk under any circumstances (and never where it's illegal)- only if there is a real sketchy road situation and there are not many/any peds on that stretch of sidewalk. Partly because I believe bikes belong in the street, mostly because the street is often smoother/better lit/just easier than the sidewalk. Plus, sidewalk riding can actually put you in more danger around intersections- when you are coming off into the street to cross, you are generally less visible to someone driving a car than you would be just staying on the road.
Makes sense
By Scauma
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 9:37am
Thank you
No problem! Always happy to
By surprisefries
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 12:38pm
No problem! Always happy to run my mouth about urban cycling- after ten years riding daily around here I have a lot of VERY STRONG opinions.
Answer
By spin_o_rama
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 9:39am
I think the reason bikes aren't allowed on sidewalks (in business districts per the MGLs) is because the state recognized that mixing faster moving bikes and pedestrians is a recipe for crashes that could injury someone. So the state puts some paint on the road instead, have us swim with the sharks and say good luck.
As for biking at night, no I do not ride on the sidewalk of the constant up and down at curb cutes, the uneven/bumpy ride it would be, the aforementioned pedestrians that would be at risk, coming to intersections means less time for a motorist to look up and see me, etc. Its just better to be in the road, be bright and aware.
I guess its a weird question to ask, you seem to be getting at something but you won't quite spit it out. The last question just seems like a coy dog whistle for victim blaming.
Lol, dude seriously?
By Scauma
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 10:44am
When you don't know the answer to something, you ask. Just that simple. As stated, I am not a bike rider so I'm not familiar with the rules/laws of bike riding. Some of the nicer folks here did a very good job of explaining why.
Yes, seriously my dude
By spin_o_rama
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 12:18pm
Thats why I wrote that, after I did a similar job of answering your question about rules/laws. I was genuinely curious what you were getting at.
Coupled with the major subject of the post, a cyclist being hit at night by a drunk driver, I thought your last question was alluding to victim blaming. Sort of like someone "just asking" why a victim of assault at night was walking in a dark area/by themselves, whatever. Just that simple.
Nope, definitely not what I was alluding too
By Scauma
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 12:24pm
What I was 'getting at' was learning more about bicyclists and bike culture. I don't know if there was a sidewalk or anything else available to the victim in this particular case. The question I asked, about riding on sidewalks, is a question I've wondered for awhile actually. And I knew the great bike riders of UHub would be able to answer it for me.
Fair enough. Since your're asking about bicyclists/bike culture
By spin_o_rama
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 1:40pm
Just for future reference, lines like the one below don't resonate too well, sounds like victim blaming.
Its meaningless to the context of a cyclist being hit by a motorist. This isn't meant as an attack or snarky response, I generally think its something to answer your questions and the reaction it generated.
But maybe this is a better answer to your question, do I feel less safe at night or change where i ride when there is higher chance of drunk drivers being on the road? No, pretty much anytime I'm on the road, I'm well aware that a motorist could hit me, be it a drunk or sober operator. At night, I just try to be more visible.
Wasn't meaningless
By Scauma
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 3:45pm
I was simply saying I'm not blaming the victim for not being on the sidewalk, because I don't know if there was even a sidewalk available to them. And to be clear, if a drunk driver hits anyone, they are at fault. Each and every time.
Finally, I really wish everyone here at uhub could let this 'victim blaming' thing go already. It's not who I am and it's not who I'd ever be.
I’m willing to give you the benefit..
By Lee
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 4:03pm
... of the doubt about the victim blaming thing.
In response to your question, I do ride on sidewalks sometimes if it’s late at night, there are no pedestrians on the sidewalk and motorists are speeding and driving recklessly down the street.
However sidewalks aren’t always that safe either. The pavement is sometimes uneven and even if it’s late and the street seems deserted, you never know when someone might pop out of a doorway in front of you.
I appreciate it when non cyclists show interest in cycling safety and want to understand what it’s like for us when sharing the road with motorists.
Thanks
By Scauma
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 4:18pm
And I'm always up for a debate or to learn something new. To me, common sense would say the sidewalk is safer than the street but I'm not an avid rider so in this case I look to people like you to explain why 'common sense' (understanding I am not a bike rider and lack certain context) isn't the safest, or smartest way to go about it.
Ok so heres the thing
By spin_o_rama
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 6:19pm
I said you were being coy about possibly victim blaming and perhaps I was wrong in the initial response but you've pretty much confirmed it here. What difference does it make if there was a sidewalk near the cyclist or not? Its meaningless, except you seem to think otherwise.
https://www.universalhub.com/2017/man-charged-rapi...
https://www.universalhub.com/2018/two-teens-hit-ro...
https://www.universalhub.com/2018/trucker-cleared-...
I guess its the same thing thats been said to you over and over and over again on UHub. If you don't want to be called out for victim blaming, then stop victim blaming. Its that simple but you keep doing it, then you get called out for it and are aghast that people would accuse you of such a thing.
I think you had some genuine questions that cyclists were willing to give you answers on, myself included. But you do this thing quite often where even after being given a decent explanation, you refuse to see to reason. Here, you wanted to know about cyclists riding on sidewalks, you've been told its illegal and you're still wondering if the cyclist had a sidewalk next to them to use to avoid being hit by the drunk driver. Thats blaming the victim, even if you've said you believe the drunk driver is at fault.
Reading comprehension my friend
By Scauma
Tue, 06/19/2018 - 8:17am
What I just said was, how could I be blaming a victim for (in this case) not riding on the sidewalk if I don't even know if a sidewalk was available to him? How can that possibly be interpreted as victim blaming? Never mind the fact that I also said a drunk driver is always in the wrong, that doesn't matter right? This narrative of victim blaming is old and not very well thought out. I don't care what others have said, I still firmly believe I've never victim blamed anyone. I get this is the internet and a certain amount of context will be lost because we are reading comments and not having actual conversations, but in real life, I go out of my way to help those in need or those who may be victims of one thing or another. And that's the reason I always engage these 'victim blaming' posts because it's disrespectful to who I actually am as a person.
Yeah you say that every time
By spin_o_rama
Tue, 06/19/2018 - 9:34am
You asked for cyclists to answer your questions, which again I genuinely believe you wanted to hear back from. I explained to you that language like that reeks of victim blaming but you just don't like this particular answer.
If you're able to look back at those posts, which had reasoned responses to how you were victim blaming, and you still don't get it, you never will.
I guess I never will
By Scauma
Tue, 06/19/2018 - 12:22pm
Like I said I get there will always be some context lacking seeing as how this is a message board but I know who and what I am and I know I would never blame someone for something that happened to them outside of their control. I'm sorry if that doesn't always come across here on uhub but I will never allow anyone to refer to me as something I most certainly am not.
I did want genuine information; about riding bikes on the sidewalk. Thank you for that.
And at no point did I say the person who got hit was at fault. Never.
And as for the boy and rape, all I said was 'I wonder if he was more drunk than the story said.' And later it came out that he was very drunk. Remember, there are no stupid questions. Now if I said the boy got to drunk and brought it on himself, that would be victim blaming.
I blame the police. People
By Frank Rizzo
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 11:31am
I blame the police. People speed all over town all summer long and they don't pull them over. People sell drugs in the open and they don't get arrested. I mean come on!
I blame the lawmakers
By Will LaTulippe
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 11:44am
Driving a car fast and selling drugs weren't problems until they said they were problems.
people hit and run people all the time...
By bostnkid
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 11:56am
beep, beep, beep, beep.
Globe reports bail $7,500 and GPS monitoring
By anon
Mon, 06/18/2018 - 4:45pm
No details reported on why Josue Flores-Ochoa didn't have a driving license or his immigration status.
Want to be outraged? Look at how many DUI arrests occur in Chelsea, Revere, Everett etc. and how liberal judges let them off for it because a DUI conviction makes them eligible for deportation.
Remember the video released by Chelsea police of Salvadoran Jose Valle driving around the center with a 0.25 BAC? Think he got convicted and deported? Not in Massachusetts!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYhuriEK8cU
are you on vacation
By anon
Tue, 06/19/2018 - 1:35pm
from taking babies from their mothers down at the border?
seems more your speed.
because i dont see you asking about the immigration status of every johnson and callahan and o'reilly that gets stopped for something.
Why is the license plate blurred out?
By Ron Newman
Tue, 06/19/2018 - 6:33am
I don't see the purpose in doing this.