A Halloween bicycle ride turned into a nightmare in Southern California when a suspected drunk driver plowed into a group of cyclists, killing two people, seriously injuring another and allegedly dragging one victim for more than a mile before fleeing the scene.
The devastating crash happened around 10:40 p.m. Saturday, October 24, in Montclair, a city about 35 miles east of Los Angeles.
According to the Montclair Police Department, approximately 30 cyclists were traveling together along Kingsley Street when a vehicle heading in the opposite direction struck several riders near Tudor Avenue.
Witnesses said the group was participating in an organized-by-riders Halloween outing, turning what should have been a festive evening into a scene of panic and devastation.
One cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were rushed to a nearby hospital. A second victim, identified by local authorities only as a woman, later died from her injuries.
The third hospitalized cyclist suffered serious injuries but was reported to be in stable condition. Another rider sustained a minor head injury and declined further medical treatment.
But the tragedy took an even more disturbing turn when witnesses described what happened after the initial collision.
According to ABC7 Los Angeles, the driver allegedly continued traveling after striking the cyclists, dragging one victim for at least a mile before abandoning the damaged vehicle and running away.
Police have not publicly confirmed every detail of that account, including the precise distance involved.
Investigators identified the suspected driver as 38-year-old Valentin Alberto Rodriguez, a Montclair resident.
With assistance from witnesses, officers tracked Rodriguez to his nearby home, where he was arrested around 2:40 a.m. Sunday, roughly four hours after the collision.
He was booked into the West Valley Detention Center on suspicion of driving under the influence causing injury or death, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher causing injury or death, felony hit-and-run involving death or serious injury, and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Authorities have not released the identities of the two people killed, pending notification of their families.
The deadly crash has left residents shaken, particularly because the victims had simply been enjoying a group bicycle ride ahead of Halloween.
By Sunday evening, balloons, flowers and candles had begun appearing near the intersection where the tragedy unfolded. Family members, friends and neighbors gathered to remember those who died and offer support to the survivors.
One nearby resident described hearing the grief-stricken cries of loved ones in the aftermath.
“It was just awful,” neighbor Winni Mercado told ABC7. “I know that I will never get that sound out of my head.”
Others expressed disbelief that an ordinary neighborhood gathering could end in such devastating circumstances.
The crash also renewed concerns about impaired driving and the dangers cyclists face when sharing roads with motor vehicles, particularly after dark.
Under California law, drivers involved in collisions resulting in injury or death are required to stop, provide identifying information and render reasonable assistance. Leaving the scene can result in serious felony charges.
Investigators are still working to reconstruct the collision and determine exactly what happened before and after the cyclists were struck.
Rodriguez remains a suspect, and the allegations against him have not been proven in court.
The Montclair Police Department is asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has additional information to contact investigators at 909-621-4771.
For the families of the victims, the Halloween season will now carry a painful reminder of a night that began with friends enjoying a bicycle ride and ended in a tragedy that has shaken an entire community.
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