| For Immediate Release Case # 10NF1204
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Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER ON PAROLE CONVICTED OF KILLING A BICYCLIST AND FLEEING THE SCENE
FULLERTON – A parolee has been convicted of hitting and killing a bicyclist with his car and fleeing the scene. Javier Rivera, 38, Banning, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one felony count of hit-and-run with injury. He has four prison prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine in 1998 and in 2006, fleeing from a police officer in wanton disregard for public safety in 2001, and possession of methamphetamine for sale in 2005. Rivera is expected to be sentenced to four years is state prison at his sentencing on Oct. 13, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. in Department N-13, North Justice Center, Fullerton.
At approximately 5:00 p.m. on April 24, 2009, Rivera rear-ended Patrick Shannon, 55, who was riding his bike on West Street in Anaheim. The defendant caused Shannon to be ejected from his bike and land nearby. Rivera sped away and fishtailed in his vehicle as he fled from the scene. He then abandoned his car in the 1200 block of W. Katella Ave. The victim’s hair and blood were found on the shattered windshield and roof of the car.
Shannon was transported to University of California, Irvine Medical Center where he died April 30, 2009, as a result of severe blunt force trauma to the head. Rivera turned himself into his parole agent on April 27, 2009.
Deputy District Attorney Susan Price of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
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