Turlock man, riding bike on a busy street at night, killed in collision

A 43-year-old Turlock man died after being hit by a vehicle while riding a bicycle on Lander Avenue south of Clausen Road on Monday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The man, identified by the Turlock Journal as Bret Jason Gerard, was riding his bike in the southbound lane on Lander Avenue at 8:55 p.m. He was wearing dark clothing and had no lighting equipment, the CHP said. He was not wearing a helmet.

Peter Youhana, 42, of Ceres was driving a 2012 Toyota southbound on Lander at about 45 mph and did not see Gerard, the CHP said.

After the initial collision, multiple other vehicles struck Gerard in the road. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Youhana pulled his vehicle to the right shoulder and called 911, the CHP said. He stayed at the scene until the CHP arrived.

Youhana was not injured, but the passenger in his vehicle, Elizabeth Casillas, 48, of Los Banos, was transported to Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock . Both were wearing seatbelts.

The collision is still under investigation. It is unknown if alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in this collision.

He was the second bicyclist to be killed while riding at night on Lander in the last three months.

In November, Robert Costner, 46, of Modesto, was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while riding south on Lander just south of Linwood Avenue.

The driver of that vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with law enforcement.

This story was originally published February 13, 2018 at 8:30 AM with the headline "Turlock man, riding bike on a busy street at night, killed in collision."