A bicyclist is dead and the driver in a Glendale hit-and-run remains unidentified after a pre-dawn crash on Grand Avenue. Police say the vehicle likely left behind one big clue: a damaged silver Chevrolet Traverse.
The collision happened just before 2:30 a.m. on July 6 near 71st Avenue, according to Arizona's Family. Investigators say the bicyclist was crossing outside a crosswalk, was taken to a hospital and later died; the victim's name has not been released, while traffic-camera footage pointed detectives toward a light-colored 2018-2023 Traverse with damage to its front grille or bumper.
Grand Avenue Has Long Been A Safety Concern
The crash happened on a corridor Glendale has already flagged for safety work. The city's 2040 General Plan calls for better safety for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians on and near Grand Avenue, and a separate transportation study reported that bicyclists and pedestrians can have difficulty crossing the roadway.
The latest search also comes after another deadly bicyclist hit-and-run in Glendale. In a June 8 case near Grand Avenue and Myrtle Avenue, police arrested a driver after 25-year-old Mayah Telles was struck in a crosswalk and later died, Arizona's Family previously reported; police said two other vehicles hit her before leaving.
What Arizona Law Requires After A Fatal Crash
Arizona law requires a driver involved in a crash causing injury or death to stop, remain at the scene, provide information and render reasonable assistance. Under state law, leaving a crash that causes death or serious physical injury can be charged as a Class 3 felony — or a Class 2 felony if the driver caused the crash — though no charge has been announced in this case.
Anyone who recognizes the vehicle or knows where it may be should contact Glendale Police at 623-930-3000, the department's non-emergency number listed by the City of Glendale. As of Friday, police had not publicly identified a suspect; the investigation remains active, according to Arizona's Family.
