Helmet may have saved cyclist’s life

Deepa Bharath

Scott Delameter rides his bike down Coast Highway almost every

weekend.

Usually, the 38-year-old Newport Beach dad would be gone for two

hours. On Sunday afternoon, his routine bike ride was violently

interrupted when a gold compact car swerved into the bike lane and

struck Delameter.

The driver of the car did not bother to stop, Newport Beach Sgt.

Steve Shulman said, and Delameter was thrown off his bicycle. Both he

and the driver were traveling eastbound on Coast Highway. The

reported accident happened at Crystal Cove State Park at the

intersection of Coast Highway and Reef Point.

Delameter suffered a fractured back and a concussion and is

recovering at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, his wife Tami said

Tuesday.

“It’s extremely fortunate that he got away with this,” she said.

“Yeah, he’s pretty banged up and bruised. But it could’ve been worse.

He could’ve been paralyzed.”

Her husband was wearing a helmet, which saved his life, she said.

However, the incident hurt her husband both physically and

emotionally, she added.

“Sometimes, I’m happy when he remembers everything because we want

to help police get the driver,” she said. “But sometimes, I wish he’d

never remember anything because it’s all so traumatic.”

Police are investigating the case and talking to witnesses,

Shulman said.

“We did have a few witnesses who actually saw the incident,” he

said. “We’re hoping the driver has a change of heart and comes

forward.”

The incident is being treated as a hit-and-run felony case,

Shulman said.

Delameter works for a Laguna Niguel company that develops and

designs golf equipment. He always dreamed of starting his own

business, his wife said. The couple, married for 13 years, has a

10-year-old daughter.

“I’ve never seen my daughter so angry,” Tami Delameter said.

“After visiting Scott in the hospital she was really broken and

asking who would do such a thing to her daddy.”

Tami Delameter said she is having trouble dealing with that

herself.

“I’m just beside myself just thinking that someone would hit him

and then leave him on the street like that,” she said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Newport Beach Police

Department’s crime hotline at (800) 550-6273.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@ latimes.com.