Murrieta Man ID'd In Deadly Mountain Bike Crash

MURRIETA, CA – A mountain bike rider who died over the weekend after falling off of his bicycle and hitting his head on a rock has been identified as a Murrieta resident. Dennis Fabozzi, 65, died on Saturday afternoon along a dirt trail in the area of Tenaja Road and Via Volcano, according to the Riverside County coroner's office.

Coroner's officials said Fabozzi was in the rear of a group of bike riders when he fell and suffered a blunt force neck injury, that ultimately resulted in his death. He was wearing a helmet.

The incident happened around 1 p.m. Two young boys and two adults reported seeing the man fall from the Shivela Trail in the Santa Rosa Plateau Park District, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Lassig. The victim was knocked unconscious during the fall.

Lassig said it appears that Fabozzi was headed downhill on the popular biking trail when he attempted to negotiate a turn on the dirt path and lost control.

"In doing so, the bicyclist appeared to veer to the right of the dirt trail causing him to lose control of his bicycle, which in turn ejected him from the bicycle," Lassig told Patch. "His head hit a stone to the right of the trail."

Nearby witnesses began CPR on the man until paramedics could arrive, but Fabozzi succumbed to his injuries at the scene, Lassig said.

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