SLO County cyclist dies after being thrown off bike, CHP says

A bicyclist died on Friday after steering off the road in Paso Robles and striking a drainage culvert, the California Highway Patrol said.

Templeton resident Jeffrey Parks, 68, was riding his bicycle westbound on Oakdale Road approaching Vineyard Drive at about 10:40 a.m. Friday when he steered off the road, according to a CHP news release. He was going about 25 mph, the agency said.

The collision with the culvert caused Parks’ bike to overturn, throwing him off his seat, the CHP said.

Even though Parks was wearing a helmet, “he became immediately unconscious and life saving measures were performed on scene,” according to the release.

Parks died due to blunt force trauma, the CHP said.

The CHP’s Templeton office is investigating the fatal crash.

This story was originally published May 6, 2022 at 3:09 PM.