Motorcyclists Assault Prius Driver on Hwy 101

A driver who was recording a group of motorcyclists with his cell phone on Highway 101 near Belmont Sunday morning lost control of his vehicle and hit two of the motorcyclists, prompting some of them to assault him, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Redwood City police officers received a report of a collision involving a Toyota Prius and multiple motorcyclists near the Ralston Avenue exit around 8 a.m., according to CHP Officer Art Montiel.

While driving to the scene, responding officers received reports that several motorcycle riders were assaulting the Prius driver, Montiel says.

Arriving officers did not witness the assault, but located four motorcycles at two separate locations in the #1, or fast lane, a Prius stopped two lanes over, and at least 20 other motorcyclists gathered around the vehicle.

Officers learned that the motorcyclists had been traveling north in the left-most lane while the Prius driver was driving two lanes over to the right, the CHP officer said.

For unknown reasons, the Prius driver was using his cell phone to videotape the motorcyclists as he was driving, according to the CHP. When traffic in front of the car slowed, the driver braked hard and swerved to the left to avoid a crash, colliding with a motorcyclist in the left-hand lane in the process.

The car then collided with the center divider and bounced back, hitting another motorcycle before coming to a stop in the roadway's third lane, Montiel said.

Two more motorcyclists traveling near the back of the group of bikers lost control in an attempt to avoid the crash in front of them.

One motorcyclist, 43-year-old Michael Manner of San Bruno, suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung in the collision and was first taken to Kaiser in South San Francisco for major injuries, then transported by ambulance to San Francisco General, according to the CHP.

The Prius driver, identified only as a 19-year-old San Jose man, and motorcyclists 48-year-old Fernando Robles of San Bruno and Reggie Santos, 31, of Castro Valley, were each taken to hospitals with minor injuries. A fourth motorcyclist, 46-year-old David Ramirez of San Carlos, was transported to a private residence with a broken leg, according to the CHP.

Montiel said the collision and alleged assault remain under investigation, and it is unclear whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash. The CHP says the driver of the Prius will be cited for inattentive driving.

Multiple lanes near the scene of the crash remained closed for about 30 minutes Sunday morning.

The CHP is asking for witnesses who may have seen the incident to come forward. You're asked to contact Officer Williams at (650)369-6261 Ext 336.

-Bay City News contributed to this report

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