Vigilante driver charged with murder after ‘deliberately mowing down cyclist’ on suburban Perth street
A cyclist has died after being deliberately hit by a driver trying to commit an act of willfulness, police claim.
The 48-year-old cyclist was mowed down by a male driver, 27, at the corner of Lion Street and Jupiter Street in Carlisle, Perth, at 1.45pm on Friday.
Police allege the 27-year-old swerved his Kia Carnival sedan towards the cyclist, who was then dragged for more than 30 meters along the road before the driver fled, reports WA Today.
Paramedics rushed the cyclist to Royal Perth Hospital but he died shortly after 2.30pm.
Great crash detective Inspector David Gorton said the collision is being treated as a ‘deliberate act’ and the driver has now been found and charged with murder.
A cyclist, 48, died after being hit by a car at the intersection of Lion Street and Jupiter Street in Carlisle, Perth, at 1.45pm on Friday (pictured)
Police claim the driver targeted the cyclist over an ownership dispute (stock image)
Det Insp Gorton told reporters the incident could have resulted from a dispute over a personal item the two parties had had since the day before.
“We are investigating what we believe was an incident from the previous day. We believe it may have been a personal property,” he said.
“We would once again remind the public that if you are the victim of a crime, no matter how serious the incident, we urge you to contact police if you think you need help.
‘Don’t take matters into your own hands.’
Prior to their alleged dispute, the two men were not known to each other.
Police found the 27-year-old after pedestrians and other drivers called triple-0 to report a man driving erratically on the road.
He will appear in court in Perth on Sunday for sentencing.
Friends and family of the suspect who were also in the car at the time of the incident were interviewed by police.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing and police are asking anyone with dashcam footage or information to contact them Crime Stoppers.
Police claim the incident was a deliberate act of suspected willfulness and the driver has since been charged with murder (stock)