California doctor, 58, biking Pacific Coast Highway, mowed down by Lexus then stabbed by driver: attackers restrained by horrified bystanders
- Michael Mammone was stabbed to death on the Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point
- The suspect, Vanroy Evan Smith, 39, has been charged with murder
A doctor biking on an Orange County freeway was mowed down by a Lexus and then fatally stabbed by the driver, who was then restrained by bystanders.
The cyclist, later identified as Michael Mammone, 58, was hit from behind by a white Lexus on the Pacific Coast Highway in the Dana Point area on Wednesday.
After the accident, the Lexus driver got out of his car and stabbed the cyclist in the back in front of horrified bystanders, leaving him stranded on the freeway with serious injuries.
The suspect, later identified by authorities as Vanroy Evan Smith, 39, of Long Beach, was arrested by bystanders and then taken into custody where he was charged with murder. Mammone was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Mammone was hit from behind by a white Lexus on the Pacific Coast Highway in the Dana Point area on Wednesday
Pictured: The white Lexus that hit the cyclist. After the accident, the Lexus driver got out of his car and stabbed the cyclist in the back in front of horrified bystanders, leaving him stranded on the freeway with serious injuries
Witnesses said the suspect was holding a BB gun as he approached the cyclist before stabbing him.
A knife was found at the scene and is believed to have been used in the attack. The sheriff’s office has not yet announced whether a gun was also seized.
The footage showed Mammone’s mangled mountain bike and the car’s broken windshield and damaged front.
The cyclist has been identified as Michael Mammone
The Orange County Fire Department responded to a call about 3 p.m. from a bicyclist who was hit by a car near the Crown Valley Parkway and East Pacific Coast Highway
Officials said there appeared to be no connection between the victim and the suspect.
Mammone has been an emergency room physician at Providence Mission Hospital Laguna Beach since 2011.
The hospital said in a statement: “We are stunned by this devastating tragedy. The entire Mission Hospital family mourns the loss of an incredible doctor and friend. We will honor the commitment of Dr. Recognize Mammone for our community and his passion for medicine as we continue to provide exceptional care.’
Mission staff said he was an “amazing doctor.”
Mammome often rode his bike to work since he lived a few blocks away.
The incident happened less than a mile from the hospital.
“That’s the irony of the whole thing. If a patient had been brought in his condition, he would have done everything to save that person. He saved so many lives here and died very close to where he saved hundreds of lives,” said cardiologist Dr. Dawn Aatwal.
The Orange County Fire Department responded to a call about 3 p.m. from a bicyclist who was hit by a car near the Crown Valley Parkway and East Pacific Coast Highway
The Orange County Attorney’s Office said they are currently prosecuting nearly 70 cases of vehicle deaths, some related to road rage, which appears to have increased since Covid restrictions were lifted and people started driving again.
Other cyclists using the same section of the Pacific Coast Highway agreed drivers appear less patient and annoyed, reports Fox LA. They said the accident happened on a narrow stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway with little space for bikes and cars, adding that some people in the area have stopped cycling.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at 714-288-6740. You can remain anonymous by calling Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.