Crime of the week: Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - It’s been nearly a week since the tragic death of 64-year-old Jose Guadalupe Medina Martinez in Wichita Falls.

He was hit by a vehicle while out riding his bike, and as Chief Photojournalist Joseph Saint reports in Friday’s crime of the week, the Wichita Falls Police Department is still searching for the person responsible.

READ: GoFundMe created for family of bicyclist killed in hit-and-run

During a normal Monday morning for Martinez, he rode his bike near Martin Luther King Blvd. and flood street before the unthinkable happened.

“Some vehicle hit the bicyclist and then left the scene,” WFPD PIO Sgt. Charlie Eipper said.

Officers arrived to find Martinez lying in the street unresponsive.

“They arrived and were able to get the victim to the hospital, but he was pronounced deceased there,” Eipper said.

The person responsible for hitting Martinez broke the law.

“The law requires that you stop and render aid, call us, make a report,” Eipper said. It’s not always going to be your fault. If this person drove out in front of you, if it’s a bicycle or a pedestrian, so stop, call us, render aid if you can. The worst thing to do is to drive off.”

The most important thing to remember when on the road is to be observant. Eipper told me out of the 18 deaths we’ve had on the road this year, two of them have been cyclists. He wants us to remember we are driving a possibly lethal weapon. It’s something to keep in mind every time you get behind the wheel.

“The thing we encourage is whether you’re on a bike, a scooter or a car, always be mindful of everybody else that’s on the street, whether they’re on a bike, a scooter or a car, because that’s how we take care of each other, defensive driving,” Eipper said.

If you have any information regarding this incident, contact Crime Stoppers at (940) 322-9888 or the non-emergency number at (940) 720-500.

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