A man riding an electric bicycle was hospitalized early Thursday after being hit by a truck at a Batesville intersection, and police later arrested the driver on suspicion of leaving the scene.
Batesville police said officers were dispatched about 2:50 a.m. to the intersection of East Wycough Street and North Heights, where they found the victim lying on the roadside with visible injuries and his damaged e-bike in the roadway.
According to a police report, the victim told Sgt. Melissa Wilkey that he and a white single-cab truck had stopped at the intersection. When the truck did not move forward or signal a turn, the victim said he entered the intersection. At that point, the truck accelerated, struck him and drove away, the report said.
The victim suffered an open fracture to his lower left leg and a broken foot, authorities said.
Cpl. Miguel Romero later located the suspected truck at a residence on West Wycough Street. Police said the driver, identified as Francisco Ignacio Cruz, 60, admitted being behind the wheel at the time of the crash but claimed the bicyclist hit his vehicle.
Francisco Ignacio Cruz
A records check showed Cruz did not have a valid driver’s license and had prior citations for reckless driving and other violations, according to the report.
Cruz’s bond was set at $30,000.
Image: Independence County Sheriff’s Office
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