Cyclist doored, struck has fractured skull and 23 broken ribs but is OK; hit-and-run driver still at large

It was a perfect storm of factors that are all too common when Chicago bicyclists are injured or killed by cars. Dustin Valenta, 27, a delivery biker, yoga teacher and actor was commuting in Wicker Park when a driver opened her door on him, throwing him into traffic. As he lay in the road, another motorist stuck him and then fled the scene.

Valenta suffered a fractured skull, broken pelvis, 23 cracked ribs and a punctured lung but he miraculously survived and is currently alert and in good spirits. The question remains: why would a driver who accidentally struck someone already lying in the road not stop to give aid? Valenta's family is currently working to bring the hit-and-run motorist to justice: http://chi.streetsblog.org/2013/02/14/cyclist-doored-then-struck-hit-and-run-driver-still-at-large/

Friends have set up donation sites to help cover medical expenses for Valenta, who is uninsured, at Go Fund Me and Give Forward. Cut Cats Courier and Johnny Sprockets bike shop are organizing a benefit event for late February or early March, probably at Bangers and Lace tavern.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Potts on February 21, 2013 at 6:49pm

I learned this after getting doored.  Luckily it was at a red light and I got knocked into a stopped car, but otherwise it would have been 30+ mph traffic on a narrow street.

I do really hope these sort events can help people to pay better attention, its a risk we take, but everyone helps everyone when we look out for eachother.

On that note, best wishes to Dustin I hope he can get himself back together as quickly as possible.

Joe Guzzardo said:

I slow down significantly and keep my right hand on the brake lever when I'm in the door zone and look into each car window, both front and rear on a 4 door vehicle.

Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on February 22, 2013 at 6:33am

Here is an isolated clip directly from the surveillance video.

Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on February 22, 2013 at 6:35am

Here is the same clip in slow(er) motion. Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on February 22, 2013 at 7:50am

Two things that I now see: a bystander bends over Dustin, a few seconds after he gets run over and begins to turn over, so there was definitely a nearby witness present.  (Don't know if the person who bends over Dustin was the doorer or a passing pedestrian.) And now I see some sort of row of dark painted diamond or dot shapes running along the truck under the window--which should make it very identifiable.)

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on February 22, 2013 at 8:38am

Is that some kind of "scallop" effect above the window in the cap? 

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on February 22, 2013 at 9:17am

Could be, Lisa.  Or it could be an "aliasing" effect--the squaring off of curves and angled lines by the use of square digital pixels in the image. You can see aliasing in the lower window sill of the bank, as the lines are angled high to low.


 
Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Is that some kind of "scallop" effect above the window in the cap? 

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on February 22, 2013 at 9:39am

Dustin's lawyer Mike Keating says the hunt for the hit-and-run driver has been delayed for two weeks because the responding officers failed to report the crash to the CPD's Major Accidents Investigation Section or fill out an Illinois Crash report. Here's an update on the situation:

http://chi.streetsblog.org/2013/02/22/cops-failure-to-report-valent...

Permalink Reply by Duppie on February 22, 2013 at 10:09am

Thanks John for keeping this in the news.

John Greenfield said:

Dustin's lawyer Mike Keating says the hunt for the hit-and-run driver has been delayed for two weeks because the responding officers failed to report the crash to the CPD's Major Accidents Investigation Section or fill out an Illinois Crash report. Here's an update on the situation:

http://chi.streetsblog.org/2013/02/22/cops-failure-to-report-valent...

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on February 22, 2013 at 10:11am

I just talked to New Affairs again. They clarified that the responding officers did fill out the Illinois Crash Report on the day of the incident, but they failed to report the crash to the Major Accidents Investigation Unit.

Permalink Reply by blair on February 22, 2013 at 10:28am

Ugggggh.  CPD - get it together!

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on February 22, 2013 at 10:40am

That makes more sense, John.  Illinois Motorist report means there was a crash report.

What is bad about not having called major accident is that any evidence that might have been there was not recovered. 

To Howard's question, I am a dinosaur and have no idea what "crowd-sourcing" means, but any activity MUST NOT interfere with Mike's investigation.  As well-intentioned as everyone is, an inadvertent mis-step could cause a great deal of difficulty even possibly losing an opportunity for him to talk with a witness.  What we can do is keep eyes and ears open and pass along any information to Mike without launching individual investigations.  I live very close to the crash scene, and I will be keeping my eyes open for any truck that remotely resembles the one in the video.  If it was a fleet truck, there is a good chance that the business regularly has trucks in the neighborhood.
 
John Greenfield said:

I just talked to New Affairs again. They clarified that the responding officers did fill out the Illinois Crash Report on the day of the incident, but they failed to report the crash to the Major Accidents Investigation Unit.

Permalink Reply by blair on February 22, 2013 at 10:45am

Lisa, I live just around the corner and I'm also keeping an eye out for a similar vehicle but...

This person MUST know they ran someone over, so I'm assuming they wouldn't continue driving down the same street around the same time?  I'm thinking alternate routes like Damen and Ashland might be good streets to watch, too.  I get the feeling there is a reason this person did not want to stick around and wait for CPD to arrive.

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