BIG SUR, Calif. (KION-TV) – Salinas police said Monday that around 11 a.m. Friday, California State Parks Rangers were called to a search and rescue operation for a man who fell while attempting to cross Regent’s Slide on southbound Highway 1.
The man was traveling on his bicycle at 27.5 miles per hour, according to police, and was warned by a member of Papitch Construction’s construction crew at 9:25 a.m. not to attempt to ride on that stretch of road.
According to police, the man stopped three kilometers south of the closed road and asked the construction worker for water. The construction worker told the cyclist that the road was closed due to a rockfall, but the man said he would try to get past anyway.
“The crew member also told him that he would be cited if he was caught by the CHP during the closure,” Salinas police wrote in a news release Monday. The construction worker also warned him that “the road is impassable and he will likely die if he attempts to cross it,” police said.
State Parks Ranger F. Bettencourt arrived at the scene and drove to Regent’s Slide about an hour later. “Looking over the bluff, they saw a backpack and a bloody arm about 100 feet below,” police wrote. “Ranger Bettencourt requested search and rescue.”
According to police, the cyclist managed to climb down to the beach and was then rescued by Ranger Bettencourt and the Big Sur Fire Department.
The cyclist was treated by AMR for a laceration to his forearm and possible head trauma, according to police. He was also flown by rescue helicopter to Natividad Medical Center and subsequently charged with disobeying the orders of a traffic controller and disregarding traffic signs and signals.
According to police, the man also endangered the lives of emergency workers. Police would like to remind the public that road closures are in place to protect the public and emergency workers.
“It is against the law to drive, ride a motorcycle or walk past a ‘ROAD CLOSED’ sign,” police said.
