Echo Park Cyclist Killed / Critical Mass
Thread started by
brassknuckle at 04.22.09 - 9:39 am
A ghost bike has been made for Jesus Castillo, the
cyclist that was killed in Echo Park on Sunday morning. The bike will be locked up this Friday on Glendale Blvd just past the Sunset Bridge. The family of the victim has been notified that a memorial will be placed.
We were hoping that we might be able to persuade the people on Critical Mass this Friday to route the ride to echo park to pay their respects and leave some candles and/or flowers. 8pm would be a great time to arrive so that we can let other people in the community know this is happening.
Unfortunately i won't be able to make the start of Critical Mass, which is why i'm asking for some help from everyone to make this happen.
What are your thoughts?
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sorry i just realized my title sounds like someone was killed on critical mass which is not the case.
brassknuckle04.22.09 - 9:40 am
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I think this a great idea and that it happens. I'm planning to make the Crit Mass ride - mainly in hopes that this persuasion to end the ride there can happen. It's so important to me to somehow honor this fallen rider - as a Echo Park resident and someone who rides on glendale blvd almost daily - I want to do something. So glad to see the leadership emerging with the ghost bikes - here and the one recently placed at La Brea/Foundation. One death, is one too many.
Jessica04.22.09 - 9:46 am
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Good idea- I know there's a group of people on here who are usually at the front of Critical Mass, so could you guys make it happen? I won't be there either.
Maybe have a die-in when the ride reaches the bike?
danya04.22.09 - 9:53 am
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The People's Ride may ride by and a do a bike lift this Friday.
Not sure if Critical Mass can be directed to the site, they sometimes defy direction.
peoplesride04.22.09 - 10:25 am
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It would be great if both LA Critical Mass and The Peoples ride stops by the memorial. How can we make this happen?
sgrant04.22.09 - 10:45 am
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my only concern about peoples ride is that it will be going by too late. We want everyone in the community to be able to take part in this. This affects everyone not just cyclists. Also, the family of the victim has been notified of it, and i don't want it to take place at too late of an hour if they would like to show up.
brassknuckle04.22.09 - 10:52 am
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Easy....
Just ask.
I'll email Stuart.
DeKadenzy04.22.09 - 10:53 am
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I bet if you bring the bike to the start and let everyone know about it you could easily get a consensus for everyone to ride to the bridge and post up.
Roadblock04.22.09 - 11:04 am
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i'll be on the cm ride for sure. i think that anyone else planning on attending the ride should keep in mind the 8pm start time of the memorial. every time i've been on cm the route is made spontaneously. we can keep that spirit, so long as the people in the front lead the ride to echo park close to 8. as for the people's ride, i don't see why those interested in going on that swing by the memorial and then group ride over to the rite aid.
arturo bandini04.22.09 - 11:05 am
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"I'll pass it on. I think Momridazz, stillline and Fuzzbeast are leading CM." -Skd
DeKadenzy04.22.09 - 11:10 am
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Sorry Louis, I didn't mean to imply that they led the ride, but they usually are out in front of the pack. As always those in the front direct the mass.
skd04.22.09 - 11:14 am
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regardless of who is actually leading, if we all understand that we want to be in ep at 8, i think it will happen. and those guys will lead us just fine.
arturo bandini04.22.09 - 11:20 am
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WTF!
I thought CM doesn't have any leaders? Why is it that these guys always feel they got to lead this thing? You lead by consensus. That means everyone is a leader. I don't think you'll have any trouble convincing the mass to go to this thing. And that can be done WITHOUT leaders.
User104.22.09 - 1:02 pm
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Taciturn, twist of Fate.
Remember the betrayal of Three Two Eight.
guy fawkes04.22.09 - 1:16 pm
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Yeah it is like a broken record, and each time we have the same suspects "leading". It's like it goes in one ear and out the other.
User104.22.09 - 1:17 pm
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It's like no body ever listens.
User104.22.09 - 1:28 pm
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Just to make sure I got this, the community is doing a memorial on Friday regardless of whether CM swings by. Do I got that right?
daymen04.22.09 - 4:16 pm
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@daymen - the memorial will be up by 8pm on friday night.
brassknuckle04.23.09 - 6:21 am
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Maybe post the memorial on the ride calendar?
Lots of ppl with be out on their bikes this evening, non just on the CM rides.
Its CAR FREE FRIDAY
trickmilla04.24.09 - 9:47 am
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this was right outside 1830 sunset
b-rad saw this dudes lifeless body laying on the street from his window.
theres blood stains still on the asphalt
so fucked up
I still havent seen nearly as many ghost bikes as in manhattan though
newarkhouse04.24.09 - 9:54 am
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The victim's name is actually Jesus Castillo. There was a misprint in the article.
brassknuckle04.24.09 - 10:26 am
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good lookin' out dan
Map: http://tinyurl.com/jesus-castillo-ghost-bike
trickmilla04.24.09 - 10:40 am
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@ user-1
alan alessio now is a perfect moment that you should know when to
SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!!
this is a memorial for a fellow rider who is DEAD!
this isnt a soapbox for you to spew the same stipid arguments you always seem to come up with.have some respect,show some class
and learn to shut that fat fucking mouth of yours.
Brassknuckle is totally right about bringing CM to echo park.i,in fact will be at the front of the pack to make sure its "lead" to the memorial at 8PM.
@ dan-call my cell if i can do anything else 562-485-8170
robert stanfield04.24.09 - 11:16 am
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Dear Bo Bo,
You're like two days late there son, and I did shut my big fat moth!
Wat a dum ass!
User104.24.09 - 11:50 am
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The ghost bike has been installed.
I hope we can make this evening a fitting tribute to a fallen rider.
mr rollers04.24.09 - 3:30 pm
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Everything was very well done, very professional. The die-in was impressive, a very powerful shot. Great organization and good to see everyone that came out. I'm at home now waiting for KCAL to put you'all on tv.
daymen04.24.09 - 10:27 pm
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Stopped by Downtown criminal courts today to find out what happened to this case:
Arraignment took place May 15, 2009. The clerk seemed a little confused about the plea, but she "thinks" it was a NOT GUILTY plea.
Charges:
1)Cal. Penal Code 191.5(a) - gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated
2)Cal. Vehicle Code 23152(a) - driving under the influence
3)Cal. Vehicle Code 23152(b) - driving under the influence with a B.A.C. over .08
Preliminary Hearing is set for Friday, August 28, 2009 @ 8:30 am in Dept. 35 at the Downtown L.A. criminal courthouse (Clara Foltz Criminal Justice Center).
This one also made me wonder. Why the hell wasn't a hit and run charge added? I thought there was a witness that saw it all happen and followed the car to get the plates.
DJwheels08.20.09 - 6:59 pm
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That makes absolutely no sense at all. DJ, hopefully we could get an explanation from the DA on this.
User1 responding to a
comment by Dedicated818
08.21.09 - 12:18 am
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Double standard for undocumented aliens in the city of L.A.
I have personally witnessed no action being taken in such cases.
Often times there is no arrest !
Dedicated818 responding to a
comment by User1
08.21.09 - 1:58 am
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Under california law the Hit and Run charge would be far less evere than any of the 3 charges already being pursued (DUI, Manslaughter, etc).
Sadly the fact that a DUI is more severe than a hit and run is the reason most drunk drivers leave the scene of an accident. A hit and run charge the next day is way better than a DUI on the night of the accident. So almost all DUI drivers run.
Manslaughter is a big charge and if convicted he will do jail time. Thats the best we can hope for in this case.
stillline responding to a
comment by DJwheels
08.21.09 - 11:33 am
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This makes no sense to me.
That guy fucking murdered another person.
Mook responding to a
comment by stillline
08.21.09 - 12:37 pm
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FYI:
There is another Pretrial Hearing tomorrow morning in this case @ 8:30 am in Dept. 35 at the Downtown L.A. criminal courthouse (Clara Foltz Criminal Justice Center).
People v. Alejandro Hidalgo - Case #BA355593
If both sides are ready they might set the Trial date tomorrow, but I doubt it. I'm guessing it will be continued again.
During the last hearing in August, the defense attorney stated he expected a disposition of the case for tomorrow's hearing. Sounds like he was trying to say that he expected a plea bargain result, but no such discussions had begun yet according to the district attorney assigned to the case.
DJwheels10.6.09 - 2:46 pm
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Called the court to find out the status. No surprises.
Hearing was continued to Friday, October 30 8:30 am for Trial Setting.
DJwheels10.8.09 - 11:42 am
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This is EXACTLY why we need to raise a rucus everytime a hit and run occurs.
The longer that the law goes easy on hit and runs the more killings will happen the more dangerous and hostile the la streets will be for us.
Roadblock responding to a
comment by stillline
10.8.09 - 11:53 am
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I spoke with the D.A. on this case about a month ago and he told me there was an offer for prison time on the table. He couldn't tell me the details of the deal because Hidalgo had not accepted yet. I still don't know if they took the deal.
However, according to the clerk's office there is a Probation and Sentencing hearing on calendar for January 6, 2010.
DJwheels12.15.09 - 6:28 pm
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Since I didn't get a call back from the d.a., I decided to request a copy of the docket yesterday at the clerk's office. I learned that on the November 12 hearing the district attorney requested that count 1 for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (Penal Code 191.5a) be changed to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence (Penal Code 191.5b).
Hidalgo then changed his not guilty plea to no contest on this particular count. Judge Craig Richman entered his conviction under 191.5b, a felony, and ordered him to return for sentencing on January 6, 2010 in Dept. 35 at 8:30am.
There were still two counts of drunk driving on the original complaint, but the minutes do not state whether those were vacated as part of the plea bargain.
It should be noted that 191.5a requires a state prison term of 4, 6 or 10 years. On the other hand, 191.5b, requires imprisonment for 16 months, 2 or 4 years.
See you guys there tomorrow.
DJwheels01.5.10 - 11:45 am
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So killing someone does not constitute "Gross Negligence"?
Foldie responding to a
comment by DJwheels
01.5.10 - 11:51 am
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Sadly, no.
Gross negligence is a weird standard to prove. It's usually recklessness...wanton, willful conduct..or an extreme departure from the ordinary standard of conduct.
You can accidentally kill someone and it would just be negligent. Like if you have a few drinks, fall asleep at the wheel and then run someone over.
To be grossly negligent you probably need a few more "bad" facts. For example, friends hid your keys, and you snatched them back and decided to drive anyway; you had all ready hit another car or object, kept on driving and then you run someone over.
The key is proving that the person knew or should've known they were acting outrageously, not just negligently.
DJwheels responding to a
comment by Foldie
01.5.10 - 12:15 pm
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Thanks for the explanation, as always you are a valuable asset to the community in dealing with the prosaic wanderings of the law.
Foldie responding to a
comment by DJwheels
01.5.10 - 12:23 pm
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