Law enforcement officials remained mum last week on the cause of the Feb. 13 collision on Foothill Expressway in Los Altos Hills that took the life of a beloved cyclist.
Nothing more was forthcoming from the Santa Clara County Office of the Sheriff last week as family and friends of Maria Elise Jabon, 38, attended Feb. 21 memorial services in San Jose.
A sheriff’s spokeswoman said last Friday that an investigation was still ongoing.
The Stanford University electrical engineering graduate was praised for her brilliant technical mind as well as her compassionate, personable nature.
Those closest to her also described Jabon, originally from the Chicago area, as an avid outdoorswoman. She and her fiancé Matthew Hoffman were set to be married on April 28.
According to sheriff’s deputies, Jabon was cycling before 10 a.m. in the southbound lane of Foothill near the intersection of Old Oak Court when she was struck by a gray Nissan. The driver of the Nissan stopped to cooperate with first responders. The Sheriff’s office did not elaborate other than to deem the collision accidental.
Jabon died at the scene. The incident brought traffic to a standstill as the southbound lanes past Arastradero Road were closed off for several hours for accident investigators.
In her online obituary, Jabon was described as “a trailblazing engineer whose contributions were unparalleled.” She played pivotal roles in product development during lengthy stays at tech companies LinkedIn and Netskope.
“Known for her keen intellect, Maria was an exceptionally kind and considerate person who cared deeply about all those in her life,” her obituary read. “Maria invariably found meaningful ways to connect on a personal level, whether through recounting of a shared adventure, a thoughtful gift, or just providing a smile that could light up a room. She was an outstanding listener. She had an uncanny ability to converse about classical music, Shakespeare, coding, or math and also to immediately endear herself to young children with her sincerity, patience and warmth.”
Less than a week after the Jabon tragedy, another cyclist was killed in a collision at Embarcadero and Newell roads in Palo Alto.
The victim, described as a woman in her 20s, was hit by three different vehicles on Feb. 19.
The woman, stopped at the intersection and prepared to make a left turn onto Newell, was hit from behind by a Honda Accord, police said. The impact knocked her into the intersection where she was run over by two other vehicles, both of which failed to stop.
The incidents prompted much discussion online about bike safety and road dangers. Some Foothill cyclists have noted that Santa Clara County, which has jurisdiction along Foothill, has not been prompt about the removal of tree debris from the road after strong storms.
