17 months ago
EL DORADO HILLS, CA - A 19-year-old woman is charged with DUI after allegedly hitting two bicyclists on El Dorado Hills Boulevard Wednesday morning. Those two women, described as avid cyclists, both suffered major injuries.
Brandi Thomas was driving northbound on El Dorado Hills Boulevard when it's believed she veered from the right lane into the bike lane. California Highway Patrol officers say she hit one cyclist, propelling the rider into the other one and then hitting her with the car as well. The crash ended near the corner at Woedee Drive.
"Two innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time, doing nothing wrong, wearing their helmets, riding the right direction, fully in the bike lane," said CHP Officer Steve Usher who was at the scene. "It's frustrating, you get angry, especially. I mean it could be my family, anybody, just going down that road." While investigators believe Thomas wasn't speeding, they believe she was intoxicated when the crash happened at 10:20 a.m. She's charged with felony DUI resulting in great bodily injury. She posted bail and was released from El Dorado County Jail on Thursday.
One victim is 48-year-old Kathi R. Sturgeon, who's a director of women's ministry at Lakeside Church in Folsom. She's in critical condition at Sutter Roseville with head trauma and internal injuries.
Her riding partner, 43-year-old Katherine Hurd, suffered a broken collar bone, multiple spinal fractures and a concussion, according to the CHP. She's in serious condition at UC Medical Center in SAcramento.
The suspect and the victims all live in El Dorado Hills.
"I felt bad for whoever it was on the bicycle. The bicycle was just mangled. It looked awful," said Lisa Case. Case lives on Woedee Drive and was returning home from her daughter's preschool when she saw the officers, paramedics and mangled bikes.
Case said there have been problems with speeding traffic and no right turn lane onto her street.
"The people (driving) behind you don't slow down so they push you into the bike lane or the pedestrian area and no one slows down," she said.
"It wasn't a design flaw, it's a human flaw that caused this," said Usher. "This was totally unnecessary."
"We all get tired of it, as officers. Been doing it for a long time but you never get used to it. "
One of the injured women is Kathi Sturgeon. Her friends are keeping a blog chronicling her condition. You can read it here.
News10/KXTV
