Beach Memorial Planned for Manhattan Beach Motorcycle Crash Victim
Apr 02, 2022 10:42AM ● By Jeanne Fratello
A memorial ceremony will be held on April 10 to honor Jay LaPlante, the Manhattan Beach man who lost his life in a motorcycle accident last month.
The celebration will be held from noon to 2:00 p.m. on the beach at Marine Ave. and the Strand. Participants are asked to bring their own blankets and chairs. In honor of LaPlante, participants are also asked to wear blue, and are encouraged to go barefoot.
A Well-Known Figure in Manhattan Beach
LaPlante, 48, was killed in an accident on Vista Del Mar at Imperial Highway on March 21. According to friends of LaPlante, he
was driving straight on his motorcycle when a car made an unexpected left turn in front of
him, and he was thrown over the car.
LaPlante, along with his fiancé Jenelle Arnold, had been excitedly awaiting the birth of their first child, a baby girl, due later
this summer.
A UCLA Bruin and avid sailor and cyclist, LaPlante was also loved and
respected by his coworkers within the LA Car Guy auto group. He managed
the Toyota Santa Monica and Lexus Santa Monica stores, as well as the
Subaru Pacific and Santa Monica locations.
He was familiar to many around Manhattan Beach with his and Arnold’s two
rescued bulldogs, Charlie Murphy and Mr. Pickles. Charlie Murphy, who is
disabled and
cannot support himself with his front legs, could often be seen
cruising the Strand in his stroller, riding behind LaPlante's bike, or
enjoying the ocean views from a bench.
A GoFundMe has been established to in honor of LaPlante to support the new baby’s needs, including a college fund.
