What to Know
- First call -- reported around 10 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Edwards Street and Brad Drive. Bicyclist said a driver tried to side sweep him on purpose.
- Second call -- reported around 10:30 p.m. Sunday near Heil Avenue and Springdale Street. There, a bicyclist was killed by a car that took off.
- Third call -- came in at about 10:45 p.m. Sunday near Edwards Street and Warner Avenue. The bicyclist survived the hit-and-run.
Police in Huntington Beach are searching for the driver in a deadly hit-and-run who investigators believe may intentionally be targeting cyclists.
Sunday night, the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) responded to three calls of cyclists being hit or nearly hit by a driver within a half-mile radius, all within a 45-minute window. The department is investigating if the incidents may be caused by the same individual.
“Based on the interviews conducted today, our detectives do believe they are related,” said Jessica Cuchilla, a Public Information Officer for HBPD.
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The first call was made around 10 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Edwards Street and Brad Drive. There, a cyclist reported a driver purposely tried to sideswipe him.
About 30 minutes later, the department received another call regarding a bicyclist and driver, this time near Heil Avenue and Springdale Street. In this case, HBPD said a vehicle struck and killed a bicyclist then took off.
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“Just a loud bang,” Huntington Beach resident Caden Miskelly said of the impact they heard. “We thought a car hit the curb and we came out here and saw this.”
Roughly 15 minutes after the fatal hit-and-run, police received another report of a hit-and-run on a cyclist. The third incident was reported near the intersection of Edwards Street and Warner Avenue. The victim in the third case survived the hit but was left shaken after the encounter.
Witnesses in all three cases described seeing a black Toyota four-door sedan fleeing the scene. Police expect major damage to the front passenger bumper.
“We need you to look at your surveillance cameras for any information. Turn it in to the Huntington Beach Police Department because we need this driver off the streets,” Cuchilla said.
Anyone with information on the investigation is urged to contact HBPD at 714-960-8811.
