MENIFEE: Officials ID bike rider, 61, killed in hit and run

UPDATED: Thursday, Aug. 2, 5:30 p.m.

MENIFEE — Authorities have identified a bicyclist whose body was found along the side of Scott Rd., near Pines Air Park Rd. and west of Leon Rd., in Menifee. The victim’s body was discovered by a passerby, Thursday morning, July 26 .

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Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials identified yesterday 61-year-old, Thomas Dryer, of Winchester, as the man killed when his bicycle was struck from behind by an unknown driver who then fled the scene of the deadly crash.

A coroner’s release indicated Dryer was pronounced deceased by officials at the scene at 9:38 a.m. According to the release, officials have not determined the time and date he was struck and both were listed as unknown.

Officials have not released any additional information regarding the crash or their ongoing investigation.

 

MENIFEE — Officials are asking for help identifying a man who died after he was struck while riding a bicycle by an unknown suspect who fled the area after the deadly collision. The fatal hit and run happened sometime between Wednesday night, July 25, and the morning of Thursday, July 26, according to CHP.

The victim’s body was found on Scott Rd., about one mile east of Leon Rd., in an unincorporated area of Menifee, CHP wrote in a social media release this morning.

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CHP responded to the scene around 9:30 a.m., after the victim’s lifeless body as discovered by a passerby. The man’s body was found along the south shoulder of Scott Rd., according to officials.

CHP has described the victim as a white male, approximately 50 to 55-years-old, with a thin build and weighing about 135 lbs.

During CHP’s initial on-scene investigation, officers determined the victim had been riding a brown-colored mountain-style bicycle eastbound on Scott Rd when he was fatally struck by an eastbound vehicle. Officials later recovered the destroyed bike, which was torn to pieces in the collision, as well as other items of evidence related to the hit and run investigation.

Residents in the area later reported to officers investigating the deadly collision that they often saw the man riding his bicycle in the area while carrying a gas can. A gas can believed to have belonged to the victim was found by officers on the south shoulder of the roadway, not far from the victim’s body.

Anyone with information as to the identity of the victim or information that could lead to the discovery of the driver who struck and killed the man is encouraged to contact Officer Strom at the Temecula CHP office at (951) 506-2000.

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CHP is investigating the fatal hit and run of a man who was run down while riding a mountain bike eastbound on Scott Rd., east of Leon Rd., in unincorporated part of Menifee.

 

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Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.