Cyclist Killed Jumping On SUV To Stop Hit-And Run Driver

LONG BEACH, CA – A 51-year-old bicyclist was killed by an SUV in Long Beach Monday, authorities said, after jumping on the vehicle that had struck his friend in an attempt to shut off the car's ignition, according to LA Times.

A witness called police at 1:20 a.m. to report a vehicle struck two bicyclists at Long Beach Boulevard and Bort Street, Long Beach Police Lt. John Kanaley said. The motorist abandoned the vehicle and is being sought.

"When officers arrived on scene, they discovered a male ... lying on the southwest corner of Long Beach Boulevard and Bort Street,'' a police statement said. "They also discovered an abandoned 2000 Ford Expedition on the west service road of Long Beach Boulevard and West Adams Street.''

A witness who was also riding with the victim was trying to prevent the driver from fleeing the scene, and jumped on the side step of the SUV while reaching through the driver's side window in an attempt to turn of the vehicle's ignition, police said.

The driver took off southboundLong Beach Boulevard and then the driver turned "at a high rate of speed'' at Bort Street and the man fell off and hit his head on the curb, police said.

The driver then parked his vehicle in the middle of the service road and fled the scene on foot, police said.

Paramedics pronounced the injured man dead at the scene. Authorities withheld the name of the dead man, who was in his 50s, pending notification of his relatives. The other bicyclist was treated at the scene of the original accident with only minor injuries, according to LA Times, and was released.

Anyone with information on the case was urged to call police Detective Brian Watt at (562) 570-7355, or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post

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