North Ranch bicyclist dies after being hit by car

Glenn Garvin Dr. Glenn Garvin, 49, was struck by a car and killed last Saturday while riding his bicycle in the northbound bicycle lane of Westlake Boulevard, north of Cresthaven Drive, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

Garvin, whose endodontics practice is in Westlake Village, was a North Ranch resident who was active in his community and served as a Thousand Oaks traffic commissioner.

According to a police spokesman, Thousand Oaks resident Norma Seigel, 82, was driving her car in the northbound No. 2 lane, the one closest to the bike lane on Westlake Boulevard, when her car drifted to the right and collided with Garvin in the bike lane at 12:05 p.m.

Garvin, who was wearing a helmet, suffered head injuries and was taken to Los Robles Hospital by ambulance. He died at 2:08 p.m., said police Sgt. Tom Bennett.

Neither drugs nor alcohol appear to have been factors in the accident, according to the sheriff's department. Siegel also wasn't distracted by use of a cellphone.

"There was no cellphone or radio involved in the accident," said Bennett. "There was good weather and good visibility."

Witnesses estimated that Seigel was driving at 45 mph in a 50-mph zone, Bennett noted.

Bennett said an investigation of the circumstances is continuing.

As police continue to search for a cause to the accident, hundreds of mourners gathered at a 1 p.m. funeral service for Garvin on Tuesday at Westlake Village Inn. Garvin's office and dozens of other dental practices were closed that day so that employees and patients could attend the services.

"We lost a wonderful, ethical, honest person and a fantastic dentist," said Dr. Brice Burkett, who's known Garvin since they were Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity brothers at the University of Southern California. "He lived life to the fullest-he loved to bike, ski and hike up mountains."

"He was a wonderful friend, a smiling face and everyone in the community loved and respected him," said Marie De Weese, the manager at Garvin's office. "He was more than my boss-those of us who worked for him felt like his family."

Garvin idolized Lance Armstrong, loved bicycling and served on the traffic commission in the hope of doing something to improve the safety of city bike lanes, De Weese said.

Garvin practiced endodontics in Westlake Village and Simi Valley for more than 20 years. He was the Southern California Endodontic Group's senior partner.

He attended the University of Southern California, where he earned his bachelor's degree with honors, and received his specialty endodontics certificate from the USC School of Dentistry.

Garvin studied dentistry at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a doctor of dental surgery degree.

The Academy of General Dentistry bestowed its Fellowship Award on Garvin in 1993. He also served as president of the Santa Barbara/Ventura County Dental Society and was a former president of the Conejo Valley Academy of Dentistry.

Garvin is survived by his wife, Pamela Garvin; two sons, Andrew, 16, and Reed, 12; his parents, Eleanor and Irv Garvin, and two sisters.

"He had just celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary and was looking forward to his son's bar mitzvah next year," said De Weese.