A bicyclist was killed last Friday after an SUV hit the rider on San Antonio Road in rural Marin County, according to authorities. The driver stopped, tried CPR, and called 911, but deputies pronounced the cyclist dead at the scene. Officials are withholding the victim's name until relatives can be notified.
The California Highway Patrol said the collision happened around 4:30 PM on San Antonio Road in an unincorporated stretch just south of the Marin-Sonoma county line, about eight miles from Petaluma. The bicyclist was riding a Trek bicycle southbound when he or she was struck by a Toyota Highlander traveling in the same direction. The driver, identified as 31-year-old Kevin Simonis of Petaluma, called 911 and attempted CPR. Deputies from the Marin County Sheriff's Office arrived shortly afterward and pronounced the bicyclist dead roughly 15 minutes later. Investigators said they do not suspect drugs or alcohol, and no arrests were made, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Fatal crashes involving people on bikes remain a stubborn problem across the country. According to UC Berkeley SafeTREC, there were 1,105 bicyclist deaths in the United States in 2022, including 177 in California. SafeTREC notes that most deadly bike crashes happen on urban arterials, though rural roads like San Antonio still account for some of these fatalities.
San Antonio Road's Recent Crashes
San Antonio Road has seen more than its share of serious wrecks in recent years. In September 2024, a motorcycle crash on the same corridor sparked an 11-acre brush fire and killed the rider. The incident drew responses from agencies in both Sonoma and Marin counties and underscored how narrow rural routes can turn deadly at higher speeds, as reported by The Press Democrat.
Investigation Ongoing
CHP's Marin division is leading the investigation into Friday's collision and is asking anyone who witnessed the crash to contact its Santa Rosa office. Officials say the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with law enforcement. The Marin County Sheriff's Office handled coroner duties while CHP continues its traffic investigation. Authorities are not releasing the bicyclist's name until family members have been informed, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
