The hit and run death of a cyclist in Galway overnight is the fourth this year, compared with five in all of last year.
A man in his 60s has been killed after being knocked from his bike in a hit and run in Co Galway.
The dead man was struck by a car at 8.30pm yesterday and while he was taken from the scene by ambulance to University College Hospital Galway, he was pronounced dead there at 2am.
His was the fourth cyclist’s death on the roads in the Republic since the start of the year.
The latest fatal collision occurred at 8.30pm yesterday on the Gort Road in Loughrea. The cyclist was struck by a BMW close to pedestrian lights.
A Garda statement said the vehicle then drove away from the scene in the direction of Gort. The search is now underway for the car and driver.
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The vehicle was described as a blue BMW with a partial 01 G registration. No further description was available at the time of writing.
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The cyclist was treated at the scene by paramedics and then taken to hospital. Despite the efforts of medical staff to save him, the man lost his fight for life at 2am.
The road at the scene of the crash is closed to facilitate a Garda Forensic Collision Examination of the area and is expected to remain closed for a number of hours.
Gardai at Loughrea Garda Station are appealing for witnesses to the incident to contact them at 091 842870.
A post mortem on the dead man’s remains was due to be carried out today. However, the Garda has made clear that they believe they are dealing with a hit and run.
The number of cyclists killed on the roads so far this year, at four, is almost as high as in all of last year despite the fact just four months have passed in 2014.
There were five cyclists killed in the Republic in all of last year, a joint 20-year low shared with 2010.
The most recent death before last night’s occurred on February 3rd, when a woman who was struck by a car the previous week in Tralee died in hospital from her injuries.
The victim, in her 40s, was struck by a car as she was cycling from her own home in Tralee to visit a relative in the town.
On January 27th, a cyclist died when he was knocked from his bike in evening rush hour traffic in Dublin. That collision occurred at City West Road, Brownsbarn Roundabout, Saggart, just before 5.30pm.
While the deceased was treated at the scene by paramedics and was taken by ambulance to Tallaght Hospital, he died a short time later at the hospital.
Another cyclist in his 40s was struck by a car at the Kilmurray roundabout in Castletroy on the outskirts of Limerick City on Wednesday, January 8th, and later died from his injuries.
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