Daughter of bicyclist killed in hit-and-run speaks out

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - The daughter of the bicyclist who was killed in a hit and run last month is speaking out about her father’s death.

The family is hoping to find closure as an investigation into who hit him is still ongoing.

Letisia Medina and her family say they have not been able to mourn her fathers death because of all of the questions that remain unanswered. All they are left with are the memories they made with Jose Medina.

“We lost our dad, we lost a grandfather, everyone lost a friend just from not paying attention,” Letisia said.

Jose was a man described with a fun, loving and caring personality, putting his family first and making sure they were taken care of. He picked up bicycling as a hobby and he loved it.

“Riding his bike and going to his friends and stuff like that is what he did on his spare time,” Letisia said. “I mean there is a bicycle lane that you can see right here that should make people more cautious of bicyclists.”

Wichita Falls is full of bicyclists and there are many bike lanes on roads across town, but Jose is now the second person to have died from being hit while cycling this year.

“I guess somebody didn’t see him because it is not very well lit over here,” Letisia said. “He was hit and they didn’t stop, which they probably could have saved his life had they have, who knows.”

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

This is an ongoing investigation for a hit and run. The Wichita Falls Police Department said they do have new leads they are pursuing.

“I do know that someone has come in, not sure if they are considered a suspect at this time but they did come in,” WFPD PIO Sgt. Charlie Eipper said. “A statement was not taken at that time, but we have seized a couple of cars.”

They have not named a prime suspect. Eipper said sometimes people who come forward are witnesses and sometimes they’re involved in one way or another.

“They could be considered at this time just a possible involved other person who may have driven by, saw something, but didn’t stop,” Eipper said. “The detectives are going to determine later on through the investigation was this person an actual suspect, are we going to make an arrest, is there enough evidence for that.”

While the Medina family waits for answers, they will carry on the legacy of Jose and cherish the moments they had together.

“Just keeping his memory alive with the photos and pictures, making sure we tell our kids about him,” Letisia said. “We will remind them what type of man he was and just carry his legacy through our last name.”

The Medina family will be holding a graveside service on Thursday at 10:45 a.m. at Sacred Heart Cemetery. They hope their story will urge drivers to be aware of cyclists on the road so no one else has to go through what they did.

If you have any information on this crime, you can report any tips to Wichita Falls Crime Stoppers at (940) 322-9888. Long-distance callers should dial 1-800-322-9888. You can also use the P3 Tips app on your mobile device or visit their website here.

As always with Crime Stoppers, you never have to leave your name, and you could earn a cash reward if your tip leads to an arrest and board approval.

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