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The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office on Friday confirmed the identity of the woman who died after her bicycle and an SUV collided on rural Mines Road south of Livermore last weekend.
The cyclist, who was pronounced dead at the scene following the head-on crash, was 49-year-old Fremont resident Ellen Mai Le.
The collision occurred at about 2:30 p.m. last Sunday (Feb. 6) and involved a Land Rover traveling southbound and a bicyclist riding northbound on Mines Road south of San Antonio Valley Road across the border in Santa Clara County not far from Mount Hamilton.
“As the Land Rover entered a right-to-left curve in the roadway, the driver allowed the vehicle to drift over the center divider lines by approximately one to two feet,” California Highway Patrol Officer Ross Lee said at the time. “The bicyclist entered this same curve in the roadway, from the opposite direction, and while negotiating through the curve, allowed the bicycle to cross over the solid divider lines.”
The SUV and bicycle collided head-on, according to the CHP, and Le was knocked off her bicycle and struck the ground, causing major injuries that proved fatal.
The SUV driver, a 27-year-old man whose identity has not been released, was reportedly uninjured.
Officer Lee said neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be factors in the crash based on the evidence thus far. The fatal collision remains under investigation by CHP-San Jose.
I still call BS.. my money is on 100% driver of Land Rover at fault.
When I learned to drive I was taught to hug the inside curve so as to create less sway in the vehicle. How tragic the SUV driver wasn’t taught the same and the cyclist overrode the inside curve.
If the cyclist was travelling north then they would be slowly climbing the moderate grade hill so it’s quite unlikely / surprising if they were in the middle of the road / across the yellow lines – they would also likely hear the vehicle approaching down the hill and hug even more right edge of road. Cars/trucks/motorbikes going down the hill often overshot they bends and cross the double yellow median. What is reported seems quite unlikely and no mention of independent observers
Elevation wasn’t mentioned in the story, and my recollection is that though Mt. Hamilton is indeed an uphill grade from the north, like all mountain roads it goes downhill in some places. CHP would have determined the location of the collision by where the vehicle and bicycle ended up. Most likely there would have been skid marks as well. Glass and debris in the roadway as well would have been a determining factor. Hard to imagine this as a “driver said so so it must be” scenario.
The CHP needs to provide additional details about how they came to their conclusion. Even if Ellen went into the opposite lane, who’s to say it wasn’t a bad evasive manuever after seeing the SUV in her way?
And an exact location would settle whether Ellen was headed uphill or downhill.
If you use Google Earth you can find there is only really a single northbound downhill curve within a mile of San Antonio Valley Road. Did it occur there?
Very sad incident either way, regardless of fault. If friends or family see this I am very sorry for you loss, from someone who loves to cycle or drive Mines rd occasionally to Mt Hamilton. SJD had valid points. Like SJD I won’t comment on what I don’t know out of respect. But what I do know is 1) Mines is not all ‘uphill’ heading north. 2) It was a 2 ton vehicle colliding with a human, not likely a big debris scene, sad to even think about it. 3) im sure the driver is devastated as well..I wouldn’t rule the driver to be liar immediately. 4) when driving or biking on mines, it’s obvious the drivers who live or drive it regularly, and safely, and those who probably shouldn’t be driving it especially in a top heavy ill handling SUV not familiar with the geography or challenge. Again, my sympthy and condolences.
The CHP is completely wrong on the circumstances. People who were riding with her said only the suv crossed the centerline. This is very common by drivers on this road. It happened 9n Elar ridge between mile 22 and 23 on mines road. She was going downhill into a right hand curve and the suv was going up hill into a left hand curve The natural tendency when descending on a bike is to dive into the inside of the curve. There is little chance she went across the centerline unless totally out of control. However, that particular curve has another curve uphill so she would have already been slowed from going around that curve. She was a very experienced cyclist on a 125 mile ride. Almost no chance it was her fault. This who know need to keep the CHP honest and make sure this dangerously negligent driver is held accountable for killing a cyclist.