The Long Beach Police Department announced Friday that the July collision that killed a bicyclist near Cowles Street and Santa Fe Avenue was determined to be deliberate. The victim, identified by police as 51-year-old Gerado Mejia, died at the scene after being struck shortly before 3 a.m. on July 6.
Investigation finds collision was intentional
According to a department news release, officers who responded to the crash around 2:40 a.m. on July 6 discovered Mejia lying in the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives later concluded the driver had "intentionally struck" the bicyclist, and the death was ruled a homicide.
Police described the collision as having been "intentionally struck" by the driver.
Suspect identified; killed days later in separate shooting
Long Beach investigators identified a suspect in the hit-and-run as 39-year-old Kenneth Richard Sok, a Long Beach resident. While officers were conducting follow-up on the case, Sok was fatally shot in an officer-involved shooting that occurred in another jurisdiction four days after the July 6 collision, the department said.
The police release did not specify which agency or jurisdiction was involved in the shooting, nor did it provide additional details about the circumstances of that encounter. Long Beach police said no further information was available in the department's announcement.
What police are asking of the public
Investigators are continuing to seek information from anyone who may have seen the collision or who has knowledge that could help the investigation. The Long Beach Police Department asked witnesses or persons with relevant information to contact the LBPD Collision Investigation Detail detectives at 562-570-7355.
- Fatal collision occurred July 6 at about 2:40 a.m..
- Victim: Gerado Mejia, 51, pronounced dead at the scene.
- Suspect identified as Kenneth Richard Sok, 39, Long Beach resident; later fatally shot in an officer-involved shooting in another jurisdiction.
Local consequences and unanswered questions
The sequence of events — an alleged deliberate hit-and-run followed by the suspect’s death days later in a separate law-enforcement encounter — raises questions for Long Beach residents about motive, public safety and the status of the investigative record. Because the fatal shooting of the suspect occurred outside Long Beach, oversight and release of information may fall to another agency, complicating the timeline for public disclosure.
Long Beach officials did not release details on the victim’s background or any possible connection between Mejia and the suspect. The collision’s location near Cowles Street and Santa Fe Avenue is within a part of the city where residents and visitors use bicycles and pedestrian routes; such incidents typically prompt renewed attention to street safety and enforcement practices.
Detectives have asked anyone with video, dash-cam footage or other evidence from the area around the time of the crash to come forward. The department also urged people with information who prefer to remain anonymous to contact Crime Stoppers or the LBPD tip line.
| Key date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 6, ~2:40 a.m. | Collision that killed Gerado Mejia near Cowles St & Santa Fe Ave |
| July 10 (approx.) | Suspect Kenneth Richard Sok fatally shot in officer-involved shooting in another jurisdiction |
| Aug. 28 | Long Beach Police Department publishes news release about investigation ruling collision intentional |
The Long Beach Police Department is leading the homicide and collision investigation. As the department continues its work, it has asked that anyone with information contact the LBPD Collision Investigation Detail at 562-570-7355.
Local residents concerned about bicycle and pedestrian safety may seek updates from the city’s traffic and public works departments or from Long Beach police as the investigation progresses and any related policy questions are examined.
