Volume XVI, Issue 28
www.solanabeachsun.com
July 19, 2012 Published Weekly
Accused motorist pleads not guilty in cyclist case
2012 Opening Day at the Races
■ Medical director and CEO earns top honor. Page 5
Del Mar’s 75th racing season kicked off with Opening Day festivities July 18, including the One and Only Truly Fabulous Hats Contest, For more photos, see page 20. For more on the racing season, visit www.dmtc.com. Photo/Jon Clark
Sports car valued at $250K stolen from local home ■ At 92, Del Mar resident’s passion for racing still strong. Page 10
BY CITY NEWS SERVICE Authorities asked the public July 17 to keep an eye out for a rare and extremely pricey sports car stolen during a break-in at a Rancho Santa Fe home. The blue-and-white 2005 Ford GT, which is valued at about $250,000, was taken within the last three weeks, sheriff’s Deputy Adriana Uribe said. The vehicle is one of only about 4,000 of its kind in existence, according to Uribe. Its 5.4-liter supercharged engine alone is
worth about $40,000, she said. Uribe declined to disclose exactly where the burglary took place or the date on which it was reported, saying the lead detective on the investigation wanted those details withheld from the public. Anyone with information was asked to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
El Camino Real wildlife undercrossing construction slated for early fall completion
■ Experienced team bringing ‘fresh vision’ to San Diego Film Festival. Page B5
BY KAREN BILLING Construction on the new wildlife undercrossing under El Camino Real (just north of Carmel Valley and just east of Del Mar) is expected to be complete by September, according to Scott Robinson, public information officer for the city’s public works department. A dedication ceremony for the undercrossing’s completion is being considered, as it has been a project long fought for by the Carmel Valley Community Planning
Board. The city’s Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) subarea plan, which was adopted by the San Diego City Council in 1997, identified the need for an improved wildlife crossing in this area to connect Gonzales Canyon to the San Dieguito River Park. “Road improvements on El Camino Real Road triggered the need for compliance with the MSCP subarea plan,” Robinson said. See CROSSING, page 6
The new wildlife undercrossing under El Camino Real is expected to be complete by September. Photo/Jon Clark
Traditional Sales. Short Sales. Auctions. Steve Uhlir •
Broker/Owner •
CA DRE # 01452695
858-755-6070 www.SURERealEstate.com
BY CITY NEWS SERVICE A 19-year-old motorist accused of striking a cyclist riding home from work, then trying to cover up his involvement and fleeing the scene, pleaded not guilty July 11 to a charge of hit-and-run causing death and had his bail raised to $1 million. Jin Hyuk Byun faces up to four years in state prison if convicted in the death of 18-year-old Angel Bojorquez of Escondido. Bojorquez, an Albertsons grocery store clerk in Del Mar, was riding his mountain bike east on Via de la Valle when he was struck about 1 a.m. Friday, July 6, prosecutor Aimee McLeod said. The victim’s body was discovered along the road about an hour later. McLeod said authorities theorize that after striking the victim, Byun pulled over in a neighborhood and pushed some of the broken pieces of the headlight assembly back into his Chevrolet Avalanche and removed rubber from one of the truck’s tires before driving more than five miles home. A neighbor noticed the damage to Byun’s truck and notified authorities. McLeod said Byun had moved his truck from the street into the garage in an effort to hide it. When a CHP officer went to the defendant’s home last Sunday, Byun initially refused to cooperate, but later admitted that he knew he hit something, but thought it could have been a mailbox or a deer, McLeod said. ``In this case, we believe that anyone would have See CYCLIST, page 6
Solana Beach denies appeal in ongoing development dispute BY CLAIRE HARLIN A local couple’s plan to tear down an 800-squarefoot single family home and build a 7,700-square-foot duplex was stopped in its tracks on July 11, when the Solana Beach City Council unanimously affirmed that the applicants need a development review permit (DRP). The hearing, which resulted in a nearly two-hour deliberation among residents and the council, was called to discuss the applicants’ appeal of the city’s determination that the project was incomplete. The property, located on a 10,000-square-foot lot on North Rios Avenue, is owned by John and Kristin Murk. The Murks’ original application for a structural development permit was submitted in 2010, and in 2011, the city added provisions to an ordinance that would require the Murks to have a DRP as well. The applicants contend that only requirements existing in 2010 apply, and their project was stymied by the city. They also said they were subject to a rigorous review and were treated differently than other applicants. City Councilman Mike Nichols said that claim could not be further from the truth, and he takes offense by it. “We have so much stuff to do, and to think up an ordinance to stop a specific project, that’s just absurd,” he said. Councilman Dave Roberts pointed out that the city even hired a third party engineer to review the case. “We have to have fiscal discipline here, and if we did See APPEAL, page 6
Magnificent Horse Property FEATURE YOUR HOME TO 10,000+ LOCAL READERS Call for Details
8,000 sf of Total Living Space 8 BR (including guest house), 10 Bathrooms 4.26 Acres with Barn & Riding Ring SURE Exclusive Offering: $2,398,000
IN ESCROW IN 7 DAYS!!!