Murrieta Bicyclist Killed In Crash

MURRIETA, CA — A Murrieta man died Monday following a major wreck in town, the police department reports. The man was injured just before 6 p.m. Sunday while riding a bicycle in the area of Washington Avenue and Davenport Way, according to authorities.

The Riverside County coroner's office says 43-year-old Khuda Dad died about 13 hours later at Inland Valley hospital from injuries sustained in the collision.

"Murrieta Police and Murrieta Fire personnel arrived and found [Dad] suffering from head injuries," Murrieta police Sgt. Sandra O'Donnell said.

O'Donnell said the exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, but drugs and alcohol do not appear to have played a role. The man who was driving the van was uninjured.

"The preliminary investigation reveals the bicyclist and a male driver of a white Pontiac van were both traveling Northbound on Washington Avenue," she said. "The collision occurred between Lemon St. and Davenport Way."

Police are now looking for any witnesses to the crash and asked that anyone who may have seen something to call Traffic Investigator Jennifer Metoyer at 951-461-6375.

Earlier that same night, another fatal crash happened across town in the French Valley area.

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Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone