Young driver charged with manslaughter following fatal accident
Update Jan. 28, 2015:
San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s office announced today it is charging Joseph Mondo, 18, of Paso Robles with vehicular manslaughter. The charge stems from an accident that occurred on Nov. 28 on Nacimiento Lake Road west of Paso Robles. Mondo allegedly struck and killed bicyclist Lee Hekyung Craig of Los Angeles, and severely injured another bicyclist, Lawrence Chong of Seal Beach.
The vehicular manslaughter charge is a misdemeanor, Penal Code section 192(c)(2). Mondo is due to appear for arraignment on Feb. 11.
Original report Dec. 1, 2014:
CHP identifies driver and victims in deadly bicycle accident
The vicinity of a vehicle vs. bicycle accident Friday afternoon. Image from Google Maps.
The California Highway Patrol identified the parties involved in a fatal vehicle vs. bicycle accident Friday afternoon.
Lee Hekyung Craig, 62, of Los Angeles died after being hit on her Cervelo bicycle by a 2005 GMC Yukon driven by Joseph A. Mondo, 18, of Paso Robles, the report says. A second rider, Lawrence Paul Chong, 59, of Seal Beach, was also struck in the accident while riding a Trek bicycle. He was taken to the hospital with major injuries.
The accident occurred at about 3:10 p.m. Friday on Nacimiento Lake Drive just east of Adelaida Road. Mondo was traveling westbound. He was distracted when his cell phone slid off his lap and he attempted to retrieve it, the report says. But before he was able to get it, he was forced to take evasive action to avoid a stopped vehicle preparing to make a left turn into a private driveway. Mondo steered on to the right shoulder around the turning vehicle and again attempted to retrieve his cell phone. As he reached for it, the Yukon veered onto the shoulder and struck the two bicyclists, the report says.
Craig was pronounced deceased at the scene. Chong was taken to Sierra Vista Hospital. Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be a contributing factor, the report says.
A phone is not that important when you are driving…So very sad for all involved!!!We need to take this very seriously !!
This is a tragedy for all involved. Most of use have been distracted while driving and we all need to learn from his mistake.
As an out of town cyclist visiting Paso last week, I decided Adelaida was unsafe to ride at high traffic hours. I got the same advice from local bike stores and winery limo drivers. Ride back and forth on Vineyard & Willow, or 46.
Cell phones need to be put away when one is driving! Put it in your glove box, console compartment, purse, backpack, whatever, just put it AWAY! It doesn't belong in your lap or your hands. This totally could have been avoided. Condolences to the families.
I know cell phone is to blame for this drivers actions.. but at same time as a local living one in wine area ,farming area,horse n cattle area back roads in our area r not meant safe for bike riders or both sharing the road.. pulling a full load in horse trailer or livstock trailer.. coming up hills n bends foing at any speed to have to slam your breaks due to no bike lanes n riders in the middle of road n refuses to stop in pull off side..i have had many unsafe run in and thank god my action are fast… But does not mean next guys will be.. the county needs to make roads more bike safe or have ride at your own risk… Cuz alot is not just a driver fault… I feel more bikes need to be set also.. to be safe for all to share the roads.. and im saying this as a driver n a bike rider!! Im am getting so tired seeing life list bike verses cars
Sorry for type o's fat finger small phone key pad!!
It's really sad. The young man that was driving is a good family friend. Anyone who has lived in paso for years know that lake road is not a bike safe road at all. Hell half the time the people riding the bikes don't pay attention. They think they have all the rights. I just hope that the young man doesn't face jail time. I think he will he rememberd every day by this accident.
Please pay attention to the article, the collision occurred on "Nacimiento Lake Drive just east of Adelaida Road". While Adelaida has little or no shoulder, NLD has a rather wide shoulder in this area (indeed on most if not all the road all the way until it turns north at Chimney Rock). The Yukon collided with the cyclists "on the right shoulder" after the driver diverted his attention to retrieve a cell phone. THE CYCLISTS WERE NOT AT FAULT!!!
Seems like some are almost saying it was the bikers' fault for riding there! I don't obviously know all the details of this case, but it did appear that the cyclists were riding off to the side of the road…the driver obviously made a mistake by toying around with this cellular phone and hit the cyclists. I assure you that the cyclists would not have been struck by the driver had he been focused on the road.
I am cyclist and a driver. Sure, there are definitely times when I see a bunch of cyclists taking up the entire lane and that can be frustrating as a driver. I totally understand. There are those cyclists who blatantly run stop signs as well. Those cyclists are obviously asking for trouble! But I just don't understand why drivers get so upset as to want to injure or kill a cyclist. RELAX please. The consequences are just not worth it.
In this case, the driver obviously had no intent to injure the cyclists. But his lack of attention while driving caused the death of this innocent cyclist. The driver has to live with that for the rest of his life.
A phone is not that important when you are driving…So very sad for all involved!!!We need to take this very seriously !!
This is a tragedy for all involved. Most of use have been distracted while driving and we all need to learn from his mistake.
As an out of town cyclist visiting Paso last week, I decided Adelaida was unsafe to ride at high traffic hours. I got the same advice from local bike stores and winery limo drivers. Ride back and forth on Vineyard & Willow, or 46.
Cell phones need to be put away when one is driving! Put it in your glove box, console compartment, purse, backpack, whatever, just put it AWAY! It doesn't belong in your lap or your hands. This totally could have been avoided. Condolences to the families.
I know cell phone is to blame for this drivers actions.. but at same time as a local living one in wine area ,farming area,horse n cattle area back roads in our area r not meant safe for bike riders or both sharing the road.. pulling a full load in horse trailer or livstock trailer.. coming up hills n bends foing at any speed to have to slam your breaks due to no bike lanes n riders in the middle of road n refuses to stop in pull off side..i have had many unsafe run in and thank god my action are fast… But does not mean next guys will be.. the county needs to make roads more bike safe or have ride at your own risk… Cuz alot is not just a driver fault… I feel more bikes need to be set also.. to be safe for all to share the roads.. and im saying this as a driver n a bike rider!! Im am getting so tired seeing life list bike verses cars
Sorry for type o's fat finger small phone key pad!!
It's really sad. The young man that was driving is a good family friend. Anyone who has lived in paso for years know that lake road is not a bike safe road at all. Hell half the time the people riding the bikes don't pay attention. They think they have all the rights. I just hope that the young man doesn't face jail time. I think he will he rememberd every day by this accident.
Please pay attention to the article, the collision occurred on "Nacimiento Lake Drive just east of Adelaida Road". While Adelaida has little or no shoulder, NLD has a rather wide shoulder in this area (indeed on most if not all the road all the way until it turns north at Chimney Rock). The Yukon collided with the cyclists "on the right shoulder" after the driver diverted his attention to retrieve a cell phone. THE CYCLISTS WERE NOT AT FAULT!!!
Seems like some are almost saying it was the bikers' fault for riding there! I don't obviously know all the details of this case, but it did appear that the cyclists were riding off to the side of the road…the driver obviously made a mistake by toying around with this cellular phone and hit the cyclists. I assure you that the cyclists would not have been struck by the driver had he been focused on the road.
I am cyclist and a driver. Sure, there are definitely times when I see a bunch of cyclists taking up the entire lane and that can be frustrating as a driver. I totally understand. There are those cyclists who blatantly run stop signs as well. Those cyclists are obviously asking for trouble! But I just don't understand why drivers get so upset as to want to injure or kill a cyclist. RELAX please. The consequences are just not worth it.
In this case, the driver obviously had no intent to injure the cyclists. But his lack of attention while driving caused the death of this innocent cyclist. The driver has to live with that for the rest of his life.