FULLERTON, Calif.—Fullerton police April 10 were investigating whether racing caused a crash that killed a motorcyclist and a pedestrian on Easter Sunday.
The crash happened just before 9:20 a.m. at Magnolia and Flower avenues.
The motorcyclist killed in the crash was identified as 34-year-old Bryan Tacadena Talladen of Anaheim. The pedestrian who died was identified as 68-year-old Antonia Mendez-Ruiz of Fullerton.
An Audi car and Talladen, who was riding a Yamaha R6 motorcycle, were speeding north on Magnolia from Orangethorpe when they collided with a Toyota Sienna minivan turning east onto Flower from Magnolia, according to Fullerton police Capt. Jon Radus.
The Audi careened off the road, struck a bicyclist and Mendez-Ruiz on the sidewalk, and then slammed into a telephone pole and the front of a house, Radus said.
A gas leak prompted an evacuation of multiple residents in the area, Radus said.
A 74-year-old man behind the wheel of the minivan and his 15-year-old male passenger were taken to an area hospital to be treated for minor injuries, Radus said. The bicyclist also sustained moderate injuries and was treated at a local hospital, he added.
The Audi’s driver only had a minor complaint of pain, Radus said.
Police do not suspect alcohol or drugs played a part in the cause of the collisions, but because speeding was involved investigators are looking into the possibility the motorcyclist and driver were racing, Radus said. There have been no arrests.
