Cyclist struck, injured in Rohnert Park crosswalk crash

Rohnert Park police are urging more caution by drivers, pedestrians and cyclists after the second crash this week at a crosswalk on Snyder Lane.

The latest collision at the crosswalk on Snyder at Rosana Way occurred at 5:45 p.m. Thursday and involved a motorist and a cyclist. The cyclist, a juvenile male, was transported to a hospital for treatment.

The driver, Gustavo Gomez-Anaya, 18, a Sonoma State University student who lives on campus, was unlicensed, Marsh said.

Gomez-Anaya showed no signs of intoxication, and “excessive speed of the vehicle does not appear to play a role in this collision,” police said in a press release.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The need for more attentiveness was highlighted Friday when officers cited more than four drivers for failing to yield to pedestrians in the same crosswalk, which is located a block south of Rancho Cotate High School.

Too many drivers “are still not paying attention,” said Police Sgt. Jerrod Marshall.

During the lunch hour Friday officers “almost witnessed three crashes.”

On Monday a 12-year-old boy was struck in the same crosswalk by a driver who at the time was reading a text message. The boy suffered a broken leg, injured shoulder and various bumps and scrapes.

While police initially were investigating the possibility the boy was playing chicken in traffic, they concluded he was not, Marshall said.

Both boys remain in the hospital, Marshall said, though he can’t give details about their conditions.

Police on Friday called on drivers and those using crosswalks to stay attentive and to be ready to take steps to avoid a crash.

For those using the crosswalk, “look at traffic and make eye contact to ensure drivers stop before entering the roadway,” the press release stated.

Meanwhile, “drivers need to keep their attention on the roadway and stop for pedestrians in the crosswalks.”

You can reach Staff Writer Robert Digitale at 707-521-5285 or robert.digitale@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @rdigit.