Authorities Thursday identified a motorcyclist who was killed in a traffic accident involving a car in Burbank, the second traffic-related death in a month’s time.
Christopher Torres, 23, of San Fernando, died at a hospital after he was involved in a collision with a sedan at about 10:10 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Olive Avenue and Beachwood Drive, according to the Burbank Police Department. Torres was driving a motorcycle when he was struck by the vehicle. Police did not report an arrest in the incident.
“The driver of the sedan remained at the scene and was interviewed by traffic investigators,” police said. “It does not appear drugs or alcohol were factors in this collision. Preliminarily, it appears unsafe speed is likely a contributing factor.”
Anyone with information about the collision was urged to call Detective Ryan Murphy at (818) 238-3103.
Torres’s death is the second traffic-related death in Burbank since April 29.
While traffic accidents overall have declined citywide since the five-year high in 2019, pedestrian-auto collisions increased by 33% from February 2023 to February 2024, according to Burbank Police Department data. DUI-related collisions were up 39% over that same period.
Traffic-related deaths across the city of Los Angeles have risen steadily over the last three consecutive years, but data for Burbank traffic deaths was not readily available as of the Leader’s press deadline on Friday.
On April 21, a pedestrian was killed after being hit by a car outside of the Burbank Empire Center. In January, an elderly bicyclist was seriously injured when he was struck by a vehicle. There were three other auto-traffic collision deaths reported in the months of September and October 2023.
Additionally, two pedestrians were killed by trains over the last month between Glendale and Burbank, one of which was deemed a suicide by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
“The Burbank Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety of the citizens in our community. Impairment, speeding, street racing and other dangerous driving behaviors jeopardize the safety of other people on the road,” the BPD said in a statement this week.
First published in the May 11 print issue of the Burbank Leader.
