MURRIETA - A bicyclist discovered dead on a trail leading into an ecological preserve west of Murrieta was identified today as a 60-year-old Temecula man, whose death remained under investigation.

Lee Andrew Tichenor was found about 8:30 a.m. Sunday by two cyclists using a path along the Santa Rosa plateau, near Clinton Keith and Tenaja roads.

According to Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Ken Chaffin, the good Samaritans tried to revive the man, who was not breathing, while awaiting the arrival of paramedics. But it was futile, and Tichenor was pronounced dead at the scene 20 minutes later.

According to the county fire department, the victim was about 1.5 miles into the trail, but it wasn't clear how long he had been there before the other cyclists came upon him.

Anyone with information was asked to call the sheriff's Lake Elsinore station at (951) 245-3300.

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[ Berry-Bell and Hall Mortuary ] Dead on Santa Rosa Reserve Bike Trail

MURRIETA - A bicyclist was found dead this morning on a trail in the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve west of Murrieta, the county fire department said.

The fire department received a report at 8:10 a.m. of a downed cyclist on the Stevenson Canyon bike trail on the Santa Rosa preserve, said fire spokeswoman Jody Hagemannn. The adult male was unconscious and unresponsive when he was found, she said.

The cyclist was about a mile and a half into the trail, located near the intersection of Clinton Keith and Tenaja roads. Fire crews would have needed a helicopter to rescue the man because the area was too remote for a paramedic to reach by truck, Hagemann said.

The man, who was not publicly identified, was pronounced dead at 9:05 a.m. and sheriff's officials were on the scene investigating, she said.