(1) PCH is -NOT- one of the most-dangerous highways in the United States. From the LA Times:

“Despite the busy roads, law enforcement officials question the assertion that the highway (PCH) is unusually deadly.

“Traffic Sgt. Philip Brooks at the sheriff’s Malibu/Lost Hills Station, said PCH is no more statistically unsafe than similar roadways throughout the state.

“Collision data from the Sheriff’s Department and the state show fatal crashes on the 21-mile stretch of PCH within Malibu city limits have averaged about 2.5 per year for the last decade.

“State data show that the number of collisions in Malibu — including property damage, injury and fatal collisions — did not change significantly from 1997 to 2008. And on a per-mile basis, the fatal crash rate was considerably higher in the two-mile stretch of PCH running through West Los Angeles.”

Secondly, and far-more importantly:
THERE IS NO SUCH THING as a “legal limit” for alcohol in the blood system to make a driver drunk.

California law says that ANY alcohol in a blood stream, if it influences the driver’s ability, makes that driver guilty of driving under the influence.

.02 BAC in a driver who “nods off” is conclusive evidence of “driving under the influence of alcohol.”

California law DOES NOT SET .08 as the minimum level for driving under the influence of alcohol. It says that any driver with a BAC of .08 or above is legally presumed to be DUI.

A person, driving late at night with a .02 BAC, who nods off, is just as guilty of DUI as someone who blows .085 BAC.

There is no such thing as a safe level of alcohol in the bloodstream.

urt his son Christian…the driver WAS NOT drunk. He nodded off behind the wheel. The driver’s blood alcohol level was 0.02 In California the legal limit is 0.08 This is just one of many inaccuracies about this accident.

To suggest in any way that anyone but Robert Sanchez is responsible for the damage he caused by his carelessness and criminal actions is closed minded and paranoid.
Perhaps you should also avoid going to the afternoon Farmers Market in Santa Monica because you might be struck and killed by a senior motorist who could not pay attention to his driving responsibilities, as happened a few years ago. Maybe you should simply stay in your home permamently to avoid any accidents that might happen out in the world.
The Grand Tour (not race!) organizers chose the route carefully. PCH itself is safe at night, more so than the more urban streets. There are lights and well painted lines on PCH. There is almost no traffic on PCH through North LA County at night. There are also some drunk drivers late out there late at night. If you simply can’t understand the factors that lead to this tragedy, that doesn’t make all of them them wrong or shameful. It just makes you naive to the rest of the world.
Cyclists have the legal, social, and moral rights to be out riding on PCH at 1:30 in the morning. I will continue to do so. I will also commute by bicycle through the Sepulveda Pass every day during rush hour. I will ride through the Malibu canyons every Saturday as the racing motorcyclists come within inches of hitting me. I will also drive my car in a safe responsible manner.
I hope you do the same because YOU are ALSO responsible for my safety…
R.I.P. indeed!

The driver nodded off and when he woke up he was miles away from the scene. He had not realized he hit anyone till he noticed his LEFT DRIVERS SIDE FRONT tire was loosing pressure. He then pulled over and noticed the blood on the bumper and realized he might have hit something. The driver turned himself in to the sheriffs who approached him where they found him. The driver was not told and did not realize he killed someone until he was in custody.

What happened to the Armas family is a horrible tragedy. One no family deserves or should ever experience. My heart goes out to them as do my prayers.

But for the life of me I cannot understand why a man would take his 14 year old son onto ONE OF THE DEADLIEST HIGHWAYS IN THE UNITED STATES…at 1:30 in the morning! There is NO LIGHT out there on PCH. It’s a deadly highway no one should be bycycling along at night. And shame on who ever organized this race….allowing ANY ONE to travel by bike on California’s deadliest highway in the middle of the night!

It seems many factors contributed to this horrific accident. Not just the driver’s carelessness. No one should drive tired. No one should EVER drive drunk. And in my opinion, no one should EVER travel by bike on PCH at 1:30 in the morning.

God Bless the Armas family. Rod, I hear you were a great man!
May your family find peace and be blessed always.
God bless the driver who has to live with what his carelessness has brought on him, his family as well as the Armas family.

R.I.P. Rodrigo Armas.