BIKER HURT IN CHARITY RIDE.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

LAKE HUGHES - A state prison correctional sergeant was hospitalized in critical condition Monday after crashing his motorcycle while on a ride to raise money for the families of officers killed in the line of duty.

Daniel Serrano, who works at California State Prison-Los Angeles County in Lancaster, was about 30 miles into the 104.5-mile Downed Officer Support Ride when he apparently lost control of his motorcycle and crashed, suffering a serious head injury despite wearing a helmet.

``It's all really sad,'' said Lt. Curt Carson, a prison spokesman. ``Obviously, the family are at the hospital, but several members of the staff have also gone down to see him.''

Serrano, who had worked at the Lancaster prison since March 1993, was one of the 1,400 people participating in the Downed Officer Support Ride. The motorcyclists left from Valencia early Sunday morning after a pep talk by Sheriff Lee Baca and Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard C. Parks.

The charity ride, which cost participants $20 and winds through the Santa Clarita Valley to the Antelope Valley and back, netted about $14,000 in 1999.

Serrano hit a soft patch of dirt on Lake Hughes Road about noon and lost control, officials said. He was airlifted to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.

Co-workers at the prison say they will be sending flowers as well as taking turns visiting Serrano in the hospital and will continue to do so until he recovers.

``He crashed doing something to help others,'' Carson said. ``We're all very concerned about him and hope he recovers quickly.''

Serrano, a Lancaster resident, joined the state Department of Corrections in 1990. He had worked as an administrative segregation sergeant at the Lancaster prison for about three years.