Cops: He Hit 2 Cyclists, Then Made the Next Hit a Fatal One

Juvenile in Huntington Beach, California, charged with homicide after 70-year-old cyclist died
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 14, 2023 11:05 AM CDT
Cops: Teen Targeted Cyclists in Deadly Hit-and-Run Spree
A cyclist rides in Huntington Beach, California, on August 17, 2020.   (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP)

A juvenile driver in Huntington Beach, California, is accused of running down three cyclists within 45 minutes on Sunday, killing one. The cyclists were struck in separate incidents less than a mile apart, KTLA reports. The first incident occurred around 10pm when a cyclist was struck in a crosswalk by a hit-and-run driver, suffering minor injuries, reports the New York Times. A half-hour later, another cyclist reported a driver in a black Toyota had "intentionally sideswiped" him, per the outlet. A short time after that, authorities responded to a third report about a cyclist struck by a black Toyota sedan, per CBS News. The cyclist, 70-year-old Steven Gonzales, was alive when paramedics arrived but died at the scene.

Police said they were looking for a black Toyota four-door sedan "with significant passenger-side bumper damage" before locating a vehicle matching that description in the city on Tuesday, per the Times. Officers arrested a juvenile male between the ages of 14 and 18 later that evening. He was booked into Orange County Juvenile Hall on one count of homicide and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and remained in custody on Wednesday, per the Orange County Register. Huntington Beach Police Chief Eric Parra commended "the detectives who investigated these terrible crimes for their tireless work in apprehending a dangerous suspect" and thanked the public "for their tips and support" in a statement that assured the community "they are safe." (More homicide stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X