Recent Bicyclist Fatalities in Silicon Valley
Written by John Cordes and Sandhya Laddha
Unfortunately, we need to share the sad news of two bicycle related fatalities leading up to Thanksgiving. Ruben Obledo was killed on Nov. 18 in Half Moon Bay and Florencio Gavia was killed on Nov. 23 in San José.
Ruben Obledo, a 59-year-old El Granada man was killed after being struck by a minivan near the Half Moon Bay coastline. The collision was reported at 6:10 pm in the evening on Airport Street near Stanford Avenue, north of Pillar Point Harbor in the unincorporated San Mateo County community of Princeton. The minivan driver remained on the scene and cooperated with the investigation. The reason for the collision remains unidentified. Airport Street is a two lane road with no paved shoulders, minimal sidewalks, and no street lighting.
San Mateo County is currently working to develop its first Active Transportation Plan to determine priorities for walking and biking improvements in unincorporated San Mateo County. You can get involved in the process by providing your input on their Public Input Map. We hope the plan will include improvements aimed at avoiding future fatalities and serious injuries.
In San José, Florencio Gavia, 71, was struck and killed while riding his bike to work along Old Bayshore Highway around 5:30 am on Thursday Nov. 23. Florencio is a hit-and-run victim. He was struck and run over by a white commercial truck caught on surveillance video. The truck exited I-880, stopped behind Florencio initially then proceeded, running him over. San José police are now looking for the driver of the large white truck which was caught on video. Anyone with information about Gavia’s fatal hit-and-run is asked to contact Detective Eliseo Malvido of the San Jose Police Department’s Traffic Investigations Unit at 408-277-4654, or anonymously at 408-947-7867.
San José is working on the next update to its Vision Zero Plan, to strive toward zero traffic fatalities. Recommendations are due in a report to the city council in the spring. You can engage with us to create a safer San José by joining our SVBC San José team. To share your thoughts with San José city staff, contact Jesse Mink-Roth, Vision Zero program manager or your San José council member.
Our condolences to Ruben and Florencio’s family, friends and co-workers as they struggle through this difficult loss. SVBC will continue its work to make bicycling safe for all people.
