Suspect has been identified in fatal hit-and-run

UPDATE: Yuma County Sheriff’s have arrested a man who is reportedly the driver of the hit-and-run early Saturday morning.

Sheriff’s say Rafael Nunez, 22, was the driver of the car that killed the bicyclist, Jose Vasquez-Rodriguez, at 7:56 a.m.

Yuma Sheriff’s claim he was driving a 2006 Hyundai Sonata sedan while traveling southbound on Highway 95 approaching County 15 Street’s intersection. The driver swerved off of the roadway south of County 15 Street, and struck the bicyclist who was traveling on the shoulder in the same direction. The driver left the scene without stopping.

A short time later sheriff’s say they located the car and driver on Highway 95 just south of Gadsden and that alcohol did play a factor.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene Saturday morning after a hit-and-run .

The Somerton Cocopah Fire Department responded to a call at 7:45 a.m. about a vehicle hitting a bicyclist. Once they arrived they found a man lying on the west side of Highway 95. Yuma Regional Medical Center pronounced the man dead at the scene.

According to a bystander, the bicyclist, a 77-year-old man, was on the right shoulder when a vehicle swerved and hit him from behind, and then left the scene. Somerton Cocopah personnel say the man was thrown about 30 -50 feet and there is no information on the vehicle.

The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.