Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run in Las Vegas
Las Vegas police are investigating a deadly hit-and-run crash involving a male bicyclist in the central valley on Friday.
About 2:30 p.m., police were notified that a bicyclist had been struck by a vehicle near Flamingo Road and Tuscany Casino Drive, just east of Koval Lane.
Police believe the car involved in the crash was trying to speed away from another hit-and-run that happened moments earlier at Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard, Metropolitan Police Department Capt. Nick Farese said at the scene Friday night.
The car and bicyclist were both traveling east on Flamingo when the car’s driver veered into the bus and bike lane to avoid traffic, hitting the bicyclist, Farese said. The bicyclist, a man in his 50s, died at the scene.
The car continued east on Flamingo and turned into the parking lot of the Silver Sevens casino, where the driver ditched the car, Farese said.
“Some good Samaritans followed him and tried to detain him,” but the driver was able to get away, Farese said. He then changed clothes and was last seen running from the scene.
Police believe speed was a factor in the crash. Officers were still searching for the man Friday night, Farese said at about 6:30 p.m.
Metro has not named the suspect, although the department released a photo on Twitter at 3:25 p.m. of a man Farese later called a “person of interest.”
“Positive use of technology was able to give us a picture of what we believe the suspect to be,” Farese said. “I’m not ready to call him a suspect at this time — he’s a person of interest — but we definitely want to speak to him sooner rather than later.”
Drivers should avoid the area, which was experiencing heavy traffic Friday night, while Metro’s fatal traffic unit investigates the crash. Both directions of Flamingo were closed between Koval Lane and Paradise Road, and Farese said at about 6:30 p.m. that officers expect to be investigating for three to four more hours.
The bicyclist’s death marks the 10th traffic-related fatality this year, Farese said.
“Three things that are causing all our fatalities are speed, impairment and failure to yield right of way,” he said. “If we slow down, if we pay attention to our driving and we don’t drive impaired, all of this will stop.”
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter. Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.