Newport sued over death of bicyclist hit by car

Former Olympic cyclist Paul Deem is suing the city of Newport Beach, alleging it contributed to the death of his wife, Debra, who was hit by a car while bicycling along East Coast Highway near Newport Coast Drive in August 2013.

The lawsuit, filed Sept. 15 in Orange County Superior Court, alleges that city and state authorities knew the intersection was dangerous for bicyclists but did nothing to fix it.

“The bicycle lane on this particular stretch of Pacific Coast Highway disappears, which forces motorists to use their judgment as to where the lanes of separation are,” Paul Deem’s attorney, Bruce Brusavich, said in a statement. He said Deem hopes the lawsuit will “help improve the safety of this stretch of Pacific Coast Highway.”

The suit seeks unspecified damages from Newport Beach and California.

The city had not been served with the lawsuit Tuesday, according to the Newport Beach city attorney’s office, which declined further comment.

A minivan trying to turn right collided with Debra Deem and caused head trauma, though she was wearing a helmet, authorities said. The 58-year-old Laguna Beach resident died the next day.

The Orange County district attorney’s office charged the driver, Robert Anderson of Irvine, with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. But a jury deadlocked this month, and the charges were dropped Monday.

Paul Deem, owner of Cycle Werks bicycle stores in Costa Mesa and San Clemente, previously laid out his allegations in a claim against Newport Beach, but the city argued that the California Department of Transportation was responsible for the intersection.

After the original claim was filed in February, a Caltrans spokesman said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.