The Hollister Police Department has completed its investigation in the fatal bus-bicycle collision that occurred on Memorial Drive and Verdun Avenue on July 27 and found the cause of the collision to be the bicyclist riding onto the street into the path of a County Express bus on the roadway. The driver of the bus was not cited and no charges are recommended. The report will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for review.
On that day in July, police and medical first-responders were called to the intersection of Memorial Drive and Verdun Avenue for a report of a collision between a bicyclist and a county transit bus.
Medical personnel attempted lifesaving procedures and transported the bicyclist to Hazel Hawkins Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and died. He was identified as 11-year-old Joshua Rodriguez from Hollister.
Hollister Police Detective Chris Wells interviewed several witnesses and processed the evidence at the scene. The investigation revealed Joshua was riding a friend’s bicycle northbound on the west sidewalk of Memorial Drive just south of Verdun Avenue. Police say Joshua then left the sidewalk and rode onto the southbound lanes of Memorial Drive near the intersection with Verdun and into the path of a transit bus that was turning onto Memorial Drive from Verdun Avenue. The bus had been stopped at the stop sign with Memorial Drive and was just completing a right hand turn when the impact occurred in the southbound lane.
The bicycle was not equipped with brakes that were operational. It is unknown if not having brakes contributed to Joshua riding onto the roadway as the bus was completing the right turn.
In a press release, The Hollister Police Department said it “would like to offer again our deepest condolences to the Rodriguez Family. Our thoughts are with them and all of Joshua’s friends.”
Police department officials said they will not comment any further on this case and respect the privacy of the Rodriguez family and all those involved.