The parents of a 20-year-old man killed when his motorcycle struck a metal chain stretched across a paved pathway near the Lincoln Dam in Montebello in 2018 are suing the city and county, alleging there were no lights, reflectors or other warnings of the chain’s presence.
Alexandro Villaras and Diana Alvarez, the father and mother of Lxandro Villar of Montebello, brought the complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging wrongful death and dangerous condition of public property and seeking unspecified damages.
The suit filed Friday alleges that Los Angeles County and the city of Montebello owned the property and where the accident occurred and were on notice of the allegedly dangerous condition created by the chain, but failed to warn visitors like Villar.
A representative for Los Angeles County did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
According to the suit, Villar’s motorcycle collided with the chain about 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 26 as he was approaching the parking lot of the Lincoln Dam. He fell off the motorcycle and his chest hit the pavement.
The large gate that normally was closed across the pathway was broken and the chain was put there in its place, according to the lawsuit.
A friend and cousin of Villar who was with him called 911, and he was taken to Beverly Hospital in Montebello, where he died about 2:15 a.m. A copy of the coroner’s report attached to the lawsuit stated the cause of death was blunt torso trauma, and a copy of a page of Villar’s medical records whowed he was not wearing a helmet when the accident occurred.