A man was killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking his bike in Indio last week.
But because the news stories identified him as a pedestrian, it didn’t cross my radar until the driver was arrested on Wednesday.
The victim, identified as 51-year old Indio resident Anthony Duran, was found lying badly injured in the street at Monroe Street and Avenue 42 around 4:50 am on Thursday, February 4th.
Police determined Duran was walking his bike across the intersection when he run down by a pickup driver, who fled without stopping.
Duran died at the scene. There’s no word on just how long he had to lay there, alone and bleeding, before someone saw him.
Police arrested 28-year old Mark Bravo of Indio on Wednesday; he’s being held on $75,000 bond on a single count of felony hit-and-run.
If there was any justice, he’d face a second degree murder charge for allegedly leaving his victim there to die; there’s no way of knowing if Duran could have survived if he’d gotten help sooner.
This is at least the ninth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Riverside County.
Update: Police arrested 28-year old Indio resident Mark Christian Bravo a week after the hit-and-run that killed Anthony Duran; he was release on $75,000 bond.
At the time of the crash, Bravo was already out on $85,000 bail for an unrelated case of assault with a deadly weapon.
Maybe he shouldn’t be allowed out on the streets for any amount.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Anthony Duran and his loved ones.
Thank you. We are trying not to think he was lying there alive. He only wanted a coffee. He is sorely missed.