Vehicle Hits Bicyclist on Santa Margarita Parkway

By Martin Henderson

A bicyclist suffered severe injuries Tuesday afternoon after being struck by a vehicle on Santa Margarita Parkway. 

The incident occurred about 3:40 p.m., and closed traffic at Alma Aldea; eastbound lanes were still closed as of 5:30 p.m. to accommodate the Orange County Sheriff Department's major accident investigation team. 

Drivers are advised to avoid the intersection.

According to Lt. Andy Ferguson, the preliminary report indicated a vehicle was traveling eastbound on Santa Margarita Parkway and the cyclist was going westbound. The vehicle struck the cyclist in the eastbound lanes near the center divider.

The injured rider was taken by ambulance to Mission Hospital with "severe" injuries, according to Ferguson.

Ferguson didn't know when traffic would resume normally because the investigation could take "a significant amount of time."