A bicyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Huntington Beach on Pacific Coast Highway on Friday.
The accident happened on PCH, between Seapoint St. and Warner Ave., about 11:40 a.m. The bicyclist, 63-year-old Roger Michael Lippman of Huntington beach, was northbound on Pacific Coast Highway in a bike lane, next to the Bolsa Chica Wetlands. The driver, also northbound on PCH, struck the bicyclist from behind, between Seapoint St. and Warner Ave. The driver fled the scene. Witnesses alerted authorities that the car was a gray Hyundai hatchback with windshield damage.
A short time later, a gray Hyundai crashed into a fence around the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, a few miles north of the hit-and-run accident. The driver, 27-year-old Joel Alexander Murphy of Mission Viego, was arrested. He is being held by Huntington Beach police on suspicion of felony hit and run, felony driving under the influence, felony vehicular manslaughter, and violation of probation.
The vehicle involved in the collision is registered to a 59-year-old Anaheim woman. Her relationship to Murphy is not yet known.
If you are a bicyclist who has suffered injuries as a result of being struck by a car, you should speak with a personal injury attorney to learn about your right to compensation. If you were injured as a result of the negligence of a drunk driver, you may be entitled to recover punitive damages. A lawyer at McGee, Lerer & Associates is available 24/7 for a free consultation. We have offices in Santa Monica, Long Beach, Pasadena and Los Angeles. There is no up-front fee. We work on a contingency fee basis: we are only paid if we collect money for you.