hit-and-run – Arizona Bike Law

Flock Cameras and yellow journalism

On the AZfamily evening newscast last evening (specifically it was the 9PM channel 3-1 broadcast on 9/18/2026) there was a segment from one of their “national” news investigative journalists that AZfamily uses as a time filler. I mention the specifics because I can’t find it online, which seems odd.

Anyway, this journalist has done previous segments on Flock cameras and he might have some sort of grudge or other reasons to present the story slanted against Flock. Last night’s piece in my paraphrase said that Flock caused some otherwise innocent person in Florida to go to jail for 11 days, and it was all flock’s fault, etc. but here’s the real story: Continue reading “Flock Cameras and yellow journalism”

BOLO: Gold colored SUV. Driver seriously injures Gilbert cyclist

SAMPLE image only. Suspect vehicle described as a gold-colored SUV possibly a Range Rover.

Why are these hit-and-runs taking so long to hit the media? Occurred July 17, 2026, and seems to have been first reported in the media July 27. Shouldn’t police be flooding the media ASAP after an incident. The victim seriously injured — this is a FELONY crime. Continue reading “BOLO: Gold colored SUV. Driver seriously injures Gilbert cyclist”

Mesa Police search for Ford F-150 involved in fatal Memorial Day weekend hit-and-run

May 23, 2026 ~ 11pm. Mesa Grand Shopping Center (Baseline and Stapley) parking lot. Fatal hit-run suspect driving grey or silver newer Ford F-150.

Yikes, another “full size” pickup involved fatality. Continue reading “Mesa Police search for Ford F-150 involved in fatal Memorial Day weekend hit-and-run”

Driver kills triathlete on Central in Phoenix

2026-02-08 Southbound Central near Elwood. Police say a the driver of a van veered to the right crossing into the separated bike lane, killing a bicyclist and continued up the curb and on to sidewalk. The driver fled the scene. Police say he admitted using fentanyl and continued on his way to purchase some more. Continue reading “Driver kills triathlete on Central in Phoenix”

Another white Tesla hit-and-run, this one in Tempe on Baseline

By another, I mean just a few months ago back in October 2025 a hit-and-run driver of a “speeding” white tesla killed Will Castañeda in a marked crosswalk back in October of 2022 in Phoenix. No news. Did police ever find the driver? Oh well, what are you going to do? Tesla’s have instrumentation and telemetry up the wazoo.

So anyway, according to this lawyer-blog (not in the news, by the way, where do they get it? Citizen app? Don’t Tempe police consider this to be BOLO-worthy?). The incident described, hit-and-run w/injury, is a felony crime.

A pedestrian suffered injuries after a traffic crash involving a vehicle on January 24 … The incident occurred around 8:19 p.m., near West Guadalupe Road and South Kyrene Road… According to initial information, a white Tesla struck the pedestrian and then left the area. Witnesses reported that the vehicle traveled west toward Colonial Place following the crash.

Emergency responders arrived and found the pedestrian conscious but injured. The person complained of back and wrist pain and showed visible bleeding…

Driver of Speeding White Tesla hits and kills bicyclist in Phoenix before fleeing the scene

{UPDATE: news now (published Wed Oct 22) says Osborne near Piestewa in a marked crosswalk. Which would be probably at the canal/trail crossing, which appears to have a HAWK signal]

Today is Tuesday. In an important update to the hit and run killing Sunday afternoon (in addition to a motorcylist seriously injured in separate hit-and-run!) — how are we just now learning that the “white car” is a white Tesla. That’s a lot more specific don’t you think?

2025-10-19 ~ 3pm Osborne Rd near Piestawa Fwy bicyclist Will Castañeda killed in a marked crosswalk by a hit-and-run driver of a white Tesla. Osborne Rd runs underneath the freeway, there is no freeway access here. There are marked crosswalks both immediately east and west of the underpass, the Grand Canal Path is on the the west side and has a HAWK signal, the crosswalk on the east side is uncontrolled.

In any event BOLO white tesla w/ front damage. Here is the article published yesterday: Continue reading “Driver of Speeding White Tesla hits and kills bicyclist in Phoenix before fleeing the scene”

A couple of “bicycle-adjacent” fatal hit-and-runs

A couple of bicycle-adjacent fatal hit and runs…One was a scooter, and the other was a mini-bike (presumably, a motor-driven cycle; i.e. motorcycle). In the first instance, the criminal pickup driver is still at large and needs to be located; and involved a (electric, i guess?) scooter. I am not clear how scooter riders get categorized for crash data purposes (and it may be different for state ASDM, vs federal FARS, see change to FARS in 2022).

The second involved a “mini bike”, which should not be categorized as bicyclist.

Both incidents will be listed on the AZ cyclist fatality spreadsheet while we await official statistics. Continue reading “A couple of “bicycle-adjacent” fatal hit-and-runs”

Jogger killed by hit and run pickup driver in New River takes plea

surveillance image of suspect vehicle. source: MSCO

Feb. 24, 2024 around 10am. eastbound Cloud near 7th Ave, New River. Pedestrian (jogger) killed.

The driver of a massive pickup truck was somehow driving along the shoulder when they struck and killed a jogger. Cloud Road there is a two lane road with a massively wide gravel shoulder (the google street view of Feb ’25 shows the Mancuso’s memorial). It is highly unlikely a jogger jogging along Cloud Road would be anywhere near the fog line. Anyway, here’s azfamily’s account of crash, which is helpful in understanding the timeline of events: Continue reading “Jogger killed by hit and run pickup driver in New River takes plea”

13-year-old dies nearly 2 weeks after hit-and-run in Glendale

4/11/2024 bicyclist NB crosswalk 47th Ave was struck by an suv driver WB on Northern Ave. The bicyclists, 13 yo Elias Bizzle. The crash database indicate the bicyclist was crossing against the signal.

Police say the driver is 27 yo Joshua Holbert who according to police and court records fled the scene and then tried to hide his damaged vehicle, which was tracked down by using available surveillance video.

Hit and run w/fatal is a felony regardless of fault, but is often results in rather light sentences. He has a 2020 drugs case in Superior Court that might have had something to do with why he fled(?)

Later new reporting claims the suspect “has a history of reckless driving”; we don’t know what that’s about.

Northern Ave is pretty ugly; there are three westbound through lanes (two eastbound). 47th is a collector.

Continue reading “13-year-old dies nearly 2 weeks after hit-and-run in Glendale”

Hit Run driver kills man near 40th & Oak, Phoenix

8/17/2024 ~ 1:45a. Hit/Run near 40th & Oak, Phoenix. No description of the vehicle. One news outlet said the victim was a bicyclist; the others, e.g. azcentral, just said a male pedestrian was found injured in the roadway. Continue reading “Hit Run driver kills man near 40th & Oak, Phoenix”

16-year-old girl arrested after DUI hit-and-run crash that killed woman in Ash Fork

8/10/2024 ~ 3am Pedestrian fatality; near 4th Street and Park Avenue, Ash Fork.

The street where this occurred, Park Ave near 4th, is a two-lane one way residential (there is a twin street a couple hundred feet away, Lewis, that goes the other way). This is a typical small rural town setup for the main route thru town. It’s just off the I-40.

It will be interesting to see if the driver is charged as an adult or as a juvenile. And if a juvenile, why do we let children drive cars?

The litany of very serious charges, e.g. manslaughter are unlikely to stick as it seems unlikely the person she killed would have had the right of way; unless they can prove something like the excessive speed (which seems unlikely).

She was probably driving on a graduated driver’s license which means it’s illegal to drive between midnight and 5AM unless with a parent; but that’s an inconsequential charge in the scheme of things.

The hit-and-run w/death charge is likely to stick but, despite being a serious felony doesn’t result in much in the way of punishment. Continue reading “16-year-old girl arrested after DUI hit-and-run crash that killed woman in Ash Fork”

Man standing next to bicycle killed during hit-and-run crash in north Phoenix, suspect arrested

July 28, 2024. Well, isn’t that special? Standing on the sidewalk? Hit and run? DUI suspected? Another Phoenix traffic fatality. Related: see Phoenix drunken driving deaths soared last year (as dui arrests decline).

This might get incorrectly tagged as a pedalcyclist crash; earlier versions of media stories had the headline as “Bicyclist killed in hit-run…” it should be pedestrian according to the description. I will carry it as a not-bicyclist on the fatality spreadsheet.
Continue reading “Man standing next to bicycle killed during hit-and-run crash in north Phoenix, suspect arrested”

Hit-and-run suspect sought in Phoenix after injuring child walking in school crosswalk

April 12(?), 2024. PLEASE tell me they caught this scum!! No news on this April hit-and-run, near 16th St and Roeser in Phoenix in a SCHOOL CROSSWALK. This is a detailed pic, and there can’t possibly be that many Montero’s that look like this rolling around!!

Continue reading “Hit-and-run suspect sought in Phoenix after injuring child walking in school crosswalk”

Driver on suspended license hits and kills cyclist in Phoenix

May 16, 2024

The driver has since been indicted my MCAO on 2nd degree murder.

This has it all: domestic violence, DUI, driving on a suspended license, hit-and-run w/fatality, ramming police vehicles (which should amount to aggravated assault), and ultimately murdering a bicyclist while fleeing.

Though i would expect prosecution to overlook (as they always do) the hit-and-run because, well, hit-and-run is routinely overlooked — by which i mean that by statute, and sentence for it must run consecutively (and not concurrently) to any other crime charged, so they pretty much always just give probation for hit-and run… Continue reading “Driver on suspended license hits and kills cyclist in Phoenix”

Glendale teen remains hospitalized as hit-and-run suspect turns himself in to police

[Update: the teenage bicyclist died two weeks later — see main article including criminal case info]

4/11/2024 7:30pm Involving a hit-run driver striking a boy riding a bicycle in a crosswalk at 47th and Northern avenues Glendale; witnesses describe a white pickup or SUV going westbound on 47th.

The driver fled and then turned himself in a couple of days later. Was he impaired at the time?

Police have not said who was at fault for causing the collision, however fleeing a crash w/serious injury is a criminal felony in any case.

Shout out to those who want to outlaw photo-enforcement: “Police used traffic cameras…” to help identify the suspect vehicle; traffic enforcement cameras have been used successfully to provide evidence enabling police to identify and catch dangerous criminals. (these are traffic-monitoring cameras only, Glendale does not presently use photo enforcement)

Continue reading “Glendale teen remains hospitalized as hit-and-run suspect turns himself in to police”