William Detore, 46, sustained fatal injuries in a Sacramento bicycle accident after his bicycle got caught under a Regional Transit bus. The Sacramento Bee reports that the crash happened near the street intersection of L Street and 5th Street, the afternoon of March 6, 2010. Detore died at the scene shortly after being hit and trapped under the bus that was headed south on L Street. Police are investigating the cause of this fatal accident.

I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved William Detore for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep this grieving family in your prayers.

Bicycle Accident Statistics

There were two fatalities and 271 injuries involving bicycle accidents in Sacramento in 2008, according to California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). Countywide, six people died and 569 were injured as a result of bicycle accidents in 2008.

What Caused this Accident?

If the details of this news report are accurate, officials say a witness at the scene stated that it didn't appear that this bicycle versus bus accident was the bus driver's fault. However, officials have not made a final determination as to who should be held at fault for this accident. They are looking at other evidence including video cameras on the bus to help determine who had right-of-way at the time of the collision. We also, do not know at this time, whether the bus driver was impaired, distracted or otherwise negligent.

Fault and Liability

There is a chance here that the bicyclist was responsible for the accident. However, if the bus driver is determined to have been at fault for this fatal bicycle accident, the transit authority could be held responsible. If there was a dangerous condition on the roadway, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable as well. California Government Code section 911.2 requires that any such claim against a governmental agency be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury. An experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer will be able to give victims' families more information about their legal rights and options.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.