Cyclist Killed In Palo Alto Crash, 2 Drivers Sought

PALO ALTO, CA — A cyclist died after she was hit by three vehicles Monday in Palo Alto, and police are searching for two drivers who investigators said did not stop at the scene.

In a news release Tuesday, police said a 911 caller reported a crash with a major injury just after 9 p.m. at the intersection of Embarcdero and Newell roads. Officers and medics rushed to the scene and found a woman in her 20s unconscious in the road. Despite life-saving efforts, the fire department pronounced the woman dead at the scene.

Police said a preliminary investigation determined the woman was stopped on her bicycle facing east on Embarcadero Road, potentially waiting for a green arrow to turn left onto Newell Road, when she was struck from behind by the driver of a blue Honda Accord. According to investigators, the force of the crash knocked the woman into the intersection where she was hit by two vehicles that continued traveling east.

Detectives said they identified four vehicles that were driving in the area at the same time and were following up to verify which ones were involved in the collision. Police said the young man driving the Accord stayed at the scene and cooperated with police, providing officers with dash-cam footage that showed the collision. Investigators do not believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the initial crash.

Investigators ask anyone who witnessed the crash to contact dispatch at 650-329-2413 or leave an anonymous tip at 650-383-8984. The woman who was killed in the crash will be formally identified by the coroner's office.