Cyclist Who Died After Collision Is Identified

A man who was killed Monday when his bicycle collided with a bus was identified as Eli Salzman, 52, of Irvine.

Salzman was riding his bike west on Michelson Drive in Irvine about 5:15 p.m. Monday when he collided with an Orange County Transit District bus traveling in front of him near Jamboree Boulevard. Salzman hit the rear right side of the bus and fell to the ground, Irvine Police Lt. Sam Allevato said.

Salzman was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he died at 6:35 p.m. of head and chest injuries suffered when he fell to the pavement, police said. He was not wearing a helmet.

The bus driver was identified as Clifford Davis, 61, of Huntington Beach. He did not know that the collision had occurred and drove on but returned to the scene after an OCTD dispatcher informed him of the accident, Allevato said.

“Davis didn’t hear anything,” Allevato said. “The bus didn’t exhibit any signs that he hit anything. He had eight passengers on the bus, and none of them said anything. There apparently wasn’t much of an impact.”

Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.