Sacramento deputy struck 65-year-old cyclist with her patrol vehicle, authorities say

An on-duty Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office deputy backed her patrol vehicle into a cyclist Wednesday morning before driving away, officials say. The cyclist suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Officers with the California Highway Patrol responded at 9 a.m. Wednesday to a crash between a vehicle and a bicycle on eastbound Arden Way just west of Fair Oaks Boulevard in Carmichael. Upon arrival, CHP officers discovered that a 65-year-old cyclist had been hit by a sheriff’s patrol vehicle.

According to a news release Wednesday evening from the Sheriff’s Office, the deputy struck the biker while moving in reverse to turn her vehicle around to respond to a call. The release said the deputy hit the biker and continued to back into him, pushing him over the curb and into some bushes. The deputy then responded to the call without stopping.

CHP responded to the incident after being alerted by nearby pedestrians, rather than by the deputy. The CHP news release regarding the situation did not mention the hit-and-run nature of the incident.

According to the CHP, the cyclist was treated for his injuries at a hospital.

CHP identified the deputy involved as a 30-year-old woman. She suffered no injuries from the incident.

The CHP is investigating the crash but said alcohol or drugs were not a factor in the collision. The Sheriff’s Office’s internal affairs division is also looking into the crash. It’s not known if the deputy was placed on administrative leave, as is customary during an investigation.

This story was originally published July 22, 2021 at 7:24 AM.