Bicyclist killed in Palo Alto hit-and-run: police

PALO ALTO, Calif. - A woman in her 20s riding a bicycle in Palo Alto was struck and killed by multiple cars on Monday, police said. While the driver of the car that struck her first remained at the site of the crash, police said they are investigating two other drivers who hit her and left the area. 

In a news release, police said the woman was struck about 9 p.m. at the intersection of Embarcadero and Newell roads. 

Police and fire crews found the woman unconscious in the road.

They tried to save her, but couldn't, police said.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the woman had stopped her bike in the No. 1 lane of eastbound Embarcadero Road at the crosswalk.

Police believe it is possible she may have been waiting for a green arrow to turn left onto northbound Newell Road, when she was struck from behind by a blue 2023 Honda Accord traveling eastbound on a green signal.  It was raining slightly at the time. 

The force of the initial collision knocked the woman into the intersection, where, according to witnesses, she was then struck by two additional drivers. 

Neither of those drivers stopped and continued traveling eastbound.  

The driver of the first car is a young man in his teens. He was driving an Accord, which has a dash-cam that captured the collision, police said. 

Detectives have identified four cars that were eastbound at the same time and are actively conducting follow-up investigations to see which two struck the woman. 

Police are asking that any witnesses call its 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.  Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.