Sometime after 9:25am Aug. 9, a cyclist riding north on Highway 1 in Big Sur tried to traverse Regent's Slide, which spills out over the road.
Cody Lynn Mortensen, 28, of Lucerne Valley, reportedly asked a worker with Papich Construction—the contractor clearing the slide—for some water as he rode north. The worker, who was stationed two miles south of the closure, offered Mortensen a bottle of water, and per a statement from the California Highway Patrol, the worker told him the road was closed due to a slide, and that "if he attempted to cross he will likely die." He was also told it was illegal.
Mortensen said he was going to try anyways, and while he didn't die, he had some sort of accident—F. Bettencourt, a State Parks ranger, arrived to the scene about an hour later and across the slide, about 100 feet below, the ranger saw a bloody arm and a backpack. Bettencourt then requested a search and rescue.
With Bettencourt aided by Big Sur Fire, they were able to rescue Mortensen, who was treated by first responders for a cut to his forearm and possible head trauma; Mortensen was then life-flighted to Natividad Medical Center, the county's trauma center.
He is being charged with failing to obey someone directing traffic and failing to obey traffic signs and signals.