Big Rig Hits 2 Bicyclists, Killing One

One bicyclist was killed and another injured Wednesday when a truck driver, who was helping his cousin obtain a commercial driver’s license, pulled out of the Department of Motor Vehicles parking lot in Fullerton and hit them with his big rig, police said.

A 19-year-old Fullerton man died at the scene in the 900 block of West Valencia, said Sgt. Dave Stanko. Orange County coroner’s investigators withheld the victim’s name pending family notification.

Injured bike rider Joel Varela Rojas, 25, also of Fullerton, was treated and released from Martin Luther Hospital in Anaheim. He was a co-worker of the victim.

At the time of the 6 a.m. accident, the men were riding to their jobs in Buena Park.

Moments before the accident, truck driver Scott Leroy Martin, 34, of Bellflower let his cousin, David Lee MacMillan, 35, of Wilmington, out of his water tanker at the DMV. MacMillan planned to take the test for his commercial truck driver’s license in Martin’s truck, Stanko said.

While MacMillan filled out paperwork inside, Martin began to move the truck to the north side of the DMV lot, the starting point of his cousin’s behind-the-wheel test.

“To do that, he actually had to go out, go around the block and reenter the lot,” Stanko said.

The Fullerton DMV is the only branch in Orange County that issues such licenses.

As Martin exited the DMV driveway, he pulled into the path of the two bicyclists. They reportedly tried to swerve into the center westbound lanes, but Rojas was knocked to the ground and the other man was dragged by the truck, Stanko said.

Martin told police he did not see the bicyclists and was unaware he had struck anyone until he “heard a noise.” Looking back, he saw the men in the roadway and stopped.

“It’s just an unfortunate tragedy,” Stanko said.

Stanko said Martin passed a sobriety test and was tested for drugs, the results of which are pending.

Though he said he could not address the accident itself until all the facts are known, David Powell, membership director for the Bicycle Club of Irvine, which promotes cycling safety, said the loss of any bike rider is a reminder that drivers and bikers must be more aware of each other.

“Whoever’s fault it was--it doesn’t matter--it’s a tragedy,” he said. “I, personally, and the club [are] always concerned about accidents and fatalities. And, of course, as bicyclists we know we need to ride defensively and keep our eyes open and take more responsibility than the driver of a car would, because we have more to lose.”