Angeles Crest bicyclist airlifted to hospital after being struck by car

A female bicyclist was airlifted to Pasadena’s Huntington Hospital Thursday after being struck on Angeles Crest Highway by a motorist who was attempting to avoid an oncoming commercial vehicle and became temporarily blinded by the sun, a sheriff’s deputy reported.

Dep. Jaime Huerta, who responded to the scene, said Thursday the woman was riding northbound just south of Mile Marker 38.5 — about 13 miles north of La Cañada Flintridge, near Mount Wilson Road — shortly after 7 a.m. A male driver also heading northbound on Angeles Crest was approaching the bicyclist when he noticed a large truck heading southbound that appeared to be encroaching into his lane.

“A commercial truck was riding along the center divide so to prevent an accident he moved a little bit to the right,” Huerta said of the driver behind the bicyclist. “With the sun’s glare, he only saw [the bicyclist’s] backpack and he hit her — it was a good thing she was wearing a helmet.”

The bicyclist fell from the impact and severely tore her calf muscle, the deputy added. The driver of the vehicle was not injured. California Highway Patrol officers responded to the scene and temporarily closed traffic in both directions, while a Los Angeles County helicopter landed in a turnout on the side of the highway and airlifted the woman to the hospital.

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