Five Bicyclists Killed in Kalamazoo Hit-And-Run Incident

Five bicyclists have been killed and another four injured in a hit-and-run incident in Kalamazoo City, Michigan, police say.

The cyclists were struck by a blue Chevrolet pickup truck that was seen being driven erratically only minutes earlier, police in Kalamazoo said.

The crash happened just before 7 p.m. on June 7, the 5500 block of North Westnedge Avenue, located between West F and West G avenues. Earlier reports indicated children were among the victims, but that is not the case, said Kalamazoo County prosecutor Jeff Getting during a nighttime briefing.

Photo WZZM

The driver of the truck, a 50-year-old man from Michigan, fled the scene and was arrested nearby soon afterwards.

A hospital spokesman said one of the injured cyclists was in a serious condition.

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting told a news conference there had been a number of alerts about the pickup truck’s erratic driving, but that a police chase was not under way when it crashed.

The extent of victims’ injuries are unclear. Carolyn Wyllie, a spokeswoman at Bronson Methodist Hospital, told WZZM 13’s Alex Shabad hospital staff are assisting two people from the crash. Their conditions and identities are unknown.

Borgess Medical Center also is treating two patients — one person in critical condition, the other in fair condition, spokesman Lew Tysman said.