A driver struck 52-year-old Jose Hernandez as he biked home from work early Sunday morning at West 7th Street and Grand Avenue in St. Paul, then fled the scene without stopping. Hernandez suffered a severe brain injury and was placed on life support, leaving investigators racing to track down the vehicle involved.
Witnesses told police they saw an SUV run a red light, crash into the bicyclist and drive off, according to CBS News. At the time, St. Paul police were reviewing surveillance footage from cameras near the crash scene as they tried to identify the driver, the station reported.
Description of the Suspect Vehicle
Investigators have described the vehicle as a beige or tan SUV that likely sustained front-end damage in the collision, per the same report. Police are asking anyone who spots a vehicle matching that description to call them at 651-291-1111.
No arrests or charges have been announced, and the identity of the driver remains unknown. The case was also featured in a CBS News Minnesota video segment highlighting the ongoing search for the motorist.
A Rough Stretch for West Seventh Street
The Hernandez case follows a pair of unrelated crashes elsewhere in St. Paul in late May, both reported by the Pioneer Press. In one, an SUV struck and killed a pedestrian at West Seventh Street and Watson Avenue around 8:30 p.m.; that driver stayed at the scene, cooperated with police and showed no signs of impairment, according to the outlet's report. In the other, a minivan struck a man riding an electric bike in the 700 block of East Jessamine Avenue, critically injuring him — police said preliminary information indicated the e-bike rider had run through a stop sign. Those incidents are separate from the Hernandez case and have not been connected to it.
For now, the search for the driver who left Hernandez badly hurt continues, with St. Paul police leaning on surveillance video and the public's help to crack the case.
