Family Seeks Hit-And-Run Driver Who Struck Cyclist

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 26-year-old Chicago bicyclist was clinging to life at a hospital, after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver on Friday.

Ricardo Capistran's family was doing everything they could over the weekene, in an effort to track down the vehicle, and the careless driver.

Capistran was in critical condition Sunday night at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, having suffered serious brain injuries.

His relatives were offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. They were also going door-to-door in Humboldt Park, searching a stretch of Talman Avenue for the driver who hit Capistran.

Capistran was riding a motorized bicycle he built, when he was hit in broad daylight Friday afternoon. He was out buying shoes for his son, who was about to fly to Mexico to spend Easter with his grandparents.

According to police, a dark-colored SUV was heading east on North Avenue, and turned north on Talman. That's when it struck Capistran, and knocked him off his motorized bicycle.

Police released an image of the fleeing vehicle. Police said it was a dark-colored SUV, possibly a GMC Yukon or Chevrolet Tahoe.

Surveillance video image of an SUV that struck and critically injured a bicyclist on Friday near the intersection of North and Talman avenues. (Source: Chicago Police)

The violent impact also was recorded by a surveillance camera at a nearby liquor store.

"The person turned right in front of him. He hit their rear quarter panel, and they just kept going," said the victim's brother, Hector Capistran.

Family members were showing the police photo throughout the neighborhood over the weekend, hoping for a scrap of information that leads to an arrest.

"We are not going to stop until we find out who did this to him," Hector Capistran said.

Among his multiple injuries, Ricardo Capistran suffered bleeding in the brain. Relatives said doctors intend to begin reducing his heavy sedation on Monday, to see if he awakens, and to begin to assess how serious his brain injuries might be.

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