A 51-year-old man was struck by a vehicle while riding his e-bicycle and later succumbed to his injuries, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.
On May 23, 2026, at approximately 9:35 p.m., the Santa Ana Police Department received multiple calls regarding a traffic collision at the intersection of Chestnut Avenue and Cypress Avenue.
Responding police officers, along with a crew from the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), responded to the scene and located the e-bicyclist, Rey Flores (55) of Santa Ana, lying in the roadway with significant injuries.
The OCFA team transported him to a hospital for treatment.
Based on the preliminary investigation, Flores was riding his e-bicycle westbound on E. Chestnut Ave. when he was struck by a vehicle traveling southbound on Cypress Ave.
The driver remained at the scene, cooperated with the investigation, and did not appear to be impaired. Detectives are examining whether impairment by Flores contributed to the collision.
On May 26, 2026, hospital officials notified the Santa Ana Police Department that Flores had succumbed to his injuries.
The Santa Ana Police Department Collision Investigation Unit (CIU) is investigating this incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Corporal M. Pardo at (714) 245-8208 or the Santa Ana Police Department Traffic Division at (714) 245-8200.
What will Happen to the Driver?
The driver faces potential wrongful death civil liability, severe auto insurance premium increases or policy cancellation, and a permanent claims history, though immediate criminal charges are unlikely due to their cooperation, lack of impairment, and the ongoing investigation into the bicyclist’s potential impairment.
Criminal and Legal Repercussions
- No Immediate Charges: The driver remained at the scene, cooperated, and showed no signs of impairment, which generally protects them from immediate hit-and-run or vehicular manslaughter arrests.
- Pending Investigation: The Santa Ana Police Department Collision Investigation Unit is actively investigating the right-of-way and the bicyclist’s potential impairment.
- Potential Criminal Charges: If detectives discover the driver committed a traffic violation (like running a stop sign at Chestnut and Cypress) or acted with gross negligence, prosecutors could still file vehicular manslaughter charges later.
- Civil Wrongful Death Claim: The family of the deceased bicyclist can file a civil lawsuit against the driver for financial damages, funeral costs, and loss of companionship.
- Comparative Fault: California operates under pure comparative negligence laws. If the investigation finds the bicyclist was impaired or at fault, the driver’s financial liability will be reduced by that percentage of fault.
Impacts on Auto Insurance
- Premium Surges: If the driver is found even partially at fault, their insurance premiums will spike drastically, often by 40% to 100% or more, due to the fatal nature of the accident.
- Policy Non-Renewal: The insurance carrier may view the driver as too high-risk and choose to cancel or refuse to renew the policy at the end of the term.
- Policy Limits Exhausted: Fatal accident claims frequently exceed standard bodily injury policy limits, meaning the insurance company will pay out up to the maximum cap, and the driver could be personally billed for the remaining balance.
- Permanent Claims Record: A fatal accident claim will stay on the driver’s insurance record and DMV report for 3 to 10 years, making it incredibly expensive to secure future coverage from any carrier.