This web page was created and originally hosted by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to keep members updated about hearings and other events related to Chris Robertson, in the months after his death.



Chris Robertson
{Updated July 28, 2001}



Chris Robertson, an active San Francisco Bicycle Coalition member, volunteer and friend was killed by a truck on Friday Nov 17, 2000, in what appears to be an incident of road rage. The SFBC will continue to do its best to keep members informed of events surrounding the case as they find out about them.

Links:

  • April 27, 2001 Critical Mass ride for Chris
  • Lauren Robertson's page dedicated to Chris
  • Messenger Memorial page on Chris
  • What the SFBC has done so far
  • Pictures of Chris

    		•


    Email List:

    A member has set up an special email list for friends and family to be able to share memories of their friendship with Chris and information about his case. You can subscribe or read it at
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rememberchris

    News Articles:

  • SF Independent - Op Ed {May 2, 2001}
  • SF Weekly - Rides and Wrongs {May 2, 2001}
  • Mercury News - Growing danger keeps bicyclist off Bay Area roads {April 30, 2001}
  • SF Chronicle - Critical Mass participants ride in memoriam {April 28, 2001}
  • TV Channel 7 - Huge Critical Mass Protest Ride in SF {April 27, 2001}
  • TV Channel 2 - Bicyclists Rally at SF City Hall on Heels of Death {April 27, 2001}
  • TV Channel 2 - Critical Mass Tonight Expected To Be Large {April 27, 2001}
  • Mercury News - Death of another cyclist ignites emotions {April 27, 2001}
  • SF Examiner - Stuck? Critical Mass strikes again {April 27, 2001}
  • Indymedia - Data Show SF Police Bias Against Cyclists {April 24, 2001}
  • SF Examiner - Biker's death spurs protest {April 23, 2001}
  • SF Chronicle - Letters to the Editor {April 21, 2001}
  • Indymedia - Judge Ignores Critical Evidence in Trial of Cyclist's Killer {April 18, 2001}
  • Mercury News - Evidence in Bicyclist's Death Fails to Support Charge, Judge Rules {April 18, 2001}
  • SF Chronicle - Manslaughter charge dropped in biker's death {April 18, 2001}
  • SF Examiner - Hearing begins in bicyclist's death {April 14, 2001}
  • SF Chronicle - Bikers Hope Friend's Death Will Make Streets Safer {March 2, 2001}
  • SFGate - Bail revised to $1.5 million {February 27, 2001}
  • Mercury News - Bail reduced for suspect in cyclist's death {February 27, 2001}
  • SF Bay Guardian - Cycles of violence {February 21, 2001}
  • SF Examiner - Cyclists Rally to be Counted {February 14, 2001}
  • Mercury News - Truck driver charged in S.F. cyclist's death {February 6, 2001}
  • SF Chronicle PM - Plea in Cyclist Death {February 6, 2001}
  • Mercury News - Driver arrested in death of cyclist {February 6, 2001}
  • SF Chronicle - Trucker Arrested in Death of Bicyclist {February 6, 2001}
  • Tube Times - Cyclists Outraged by Apparent Murder {February 2001}
  • Tube Times - Remembering Chris Robertson (1970-2000) {February 2001}
  • SF Examiner - What's your take on bicycling in SF? {January 19, 2001}
  • Mercury News - Trying to foster good will among cyclists, drivers {January 18, 2001}
  • New Mission News - Furor over cyclist's killing (Page 1) (Page 2) {January 2001}
  • SF Weekly - Breaking the Cycle {December 13, 2000}
  • SF Examiner - When good drivers go bad {December 11, 2000}
  • SF Bay Guardian - Treated like "disposable people," bike couriers ramp up union efforts {December 6, 2000}
  • Mercury News - Letter to the Editor {December 4, 2000}
  • Mercury News - DA tells protesters he'll step up investigation of cyclist's death {December 2, 2000}
  • SF Chronicle - Group meets D.A. following death of biker {December 1, 2000}
  • Mercury News - No reason for cyclists to die on city streets {November 30, 2000}
  • Mercury News - San Francisco Bike Coalition Enraged over Cyclist's Death {November 29, 2000}
  • TV Channel 4 - Fatal bike accident {November 29, 2000}
  • SF Chronicle - Police Seek Witnesses To Bike-Big Rig Crash {November 29, 2000}
  • SF Chronicle - Witnesses Sought in Death Of Bicyclist {November 22, 2000}
  • SF Chronicle - Bicyclist Killed By Truck in S.F. Is Identified {November 21, 2000}
  • SF Chronicle - Cyclist Run Over and Killed By Big-Rig Truck in S.F {November 18, 2000}

    Letter from the DA's office November 28, 2000

    The SFBC received the following information by Fax from Fred Gardner of the DA's office late yesterday. He requested that we distribute this to the bicycle community.


    Public Information Office
    District Attorney
    City and County of San Francisco
    850 Bryant St.
    San Francisco, CA 94103
    415/553-1596

    Faxed to 431-2468 11/28

    Update on Espinoza case

    On the evening of Nov. 17 a truck allegedly driven by Reuben Espinoza ran
    over and killed bicyclist Chris Robertson. Espinoza was arrested on the
    scene by SF police and booked on a charge of vehicular manslaughter (which
    is involuntary by definition). He was released from custody Nov. 18 after
    posting bail of $15,000 (which is set by statute, based on the crime that
    has been charged). The SFPD investigators presented their report to the
    District Attorney's office on Nov. 20 for review. The DA deemed the
    investigation incomplete and requested that additional information be
    obtained and the case returned for review on Dec. 1. (It was erroneously
    reported in the media that charges had been "dropped" when in fact they had
    not been filed.)

    Upon reviewing the evidence Dec. 1, the DA's office will determine whether
    to make a charging decision or to request further investigation. Should the
    DA decide to charge the suspect, an arrest warrant would be prepared and
    presented to the court for issuance.

    -Fred Gardner

    How you can help

    Contact the D.A.s office at 553-9530 or 553-1596 to demand serious charges be brought up against the driver

    Write Letters to the Editor of the Chronicle & Examiner:

    chronletters@sfgate.com
    letters@examiner.com

    (letters should be under 150 words and include your name, address and telephone number).

    We're also taking this opportunity to urge city officials to launch a citywide "Driver Awareness Campaign."

    Call or email the Mayor's Office and the Dept. of Parking & Traffic and urge them to support this important and clearly needed safety effort:
    CALL: 554-5965 (Mayor's Office of Legislative Affairs)
    OR EMAIL: willie_brown@ci.sf.ca.us
    &
    CALL: 554-9835 (Fred Hamdun, Director, Dept. of Parking & Traffic)
    OR EMAIL: fred_hamdun@ci.sf.ca.us

    California AIDS Ride

    Before he died, Chris Robertson had planned to do the California AIDS ride for the 2nd time this upcoming June. His team members from the last ride will be sponsoring his rider #2115. Chris' family and friends will be also be riding and crewing in his honor on Calif AIDS ride 8.

    You can send a donation on Chris' behalf by using his rider number and going to this site: http://www.sfafpledge.org/sponsor.html