Durham police want to find a hit-and-run driver who crashed into a cyclist at a street crossing Sunday shortly after 11:30 am. The man was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The driver of a gray or silver Volkswagen Jetta hit the cyclist while he was crossing the 2300 block of Guess Road at the Ellerbee Creek Trail.

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On Monday, Durham police released two photos of a Volkswagen Jetta driven by the suspect.
On Monday, Durham police released two photos of a Volkswagen Jetta driven by the suspect.

In a statement, Durham police said the driver left the scene after removing the bike from under his car.

John Tallmadge, the executive director of "Bike Durham," said in the last five years vehicles hitting cyclists or pedestrians has occurred more frequently in the Bull City. He said, "unfortunately, every 16 days in Durham County, someone who is walking or biking is killed or seriously injured in a crash."

Tallmadge said more action is needed to slow down traffic at these crossings.

"Looking at the streets and how can we slow traffic and make sure that it's designed so that drivers see people who are walking and biking and let people who are walking and biking see the driver and then proceed safely," he explained.

The intersection of Guess Road and the Ellerbe Creek Trail is clearly marked with flashing red lights that are activated when cyclists or pedestrians are crossing.

Tallmadge said the City of Durham and the state Department of Transportation can do more like repaving, removing unnecessary travel lanes and narrowing crossings so that cyclists and pedestrians have a shorter distance to get off the road.

"We know that our roads need to be safer but we do want people out biking and walking," said Tallmadge.

His vision is that more people will leave their cars behind and use bicycles more, but with investment in sidewalks and safer crossings. "So that no matter who you are or what neighborhood you live in, you could safely walk and bike to school, bike to work, walk to grocery stores or wherever you're going," he said.

Biking and walking with a cautious eye at crossings is Tallmadge's best advice.

The hit-and-run driver Durham police are looking for showed no caution or concern for the cyclist he hit and abandoned.

"And it's horrible and I hope that they find someone who saw what happened and can bring the person to account," added Tallmadge.

Durham police ask anyone who witnessed or knows anything about the crash to call their Crime Stoppers hotline at 919-683-1200.