San Jose Police Release Surveillance Footage Of Fatal Hit-And-Run
SAN JOSE (CBS SF/BCN) -- San Jose police released surveillance video footage Wednesday related to a hit-and-run collision that killed a bicyclist over the weekend and are asking for the public's help in finding the driver and vehicle.
Officers responded just before 4:30 a.m. Sunday to a report of a collision in the area of South First and Reed streets and located a bicycle rider down in the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
The bicyclist was riding south on South First Street when a vehicle going north in the southbound lanes hit him. The driver and the truck, described as a black Chevrolet Silverado with a cover over the bed and likely front-end damage, remain at large.
The video released by police Wednesday shows the truck and a suitcase the victim was carrying sliding across the street after the collision.
"This vehicle in the video is seen striking the victim and then continuing onward in the wrong direction on South First Street," Officer Steven Aponte told KPIX 5.
The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as 36-year-old Jose Francisco Gastelum.
Homeless advocates say it appeared the victim lived in an encampment near the crash.
"It's a child of God that was killed, this is a human being. No matter what the circumstances are, we're all accountable for our actions," says Pastor Scott Wagers, a homeless advocate.
Detectives say additional security camera video or tips from the public will likely be key in identifying the driver.
"If the person who was part of this incident sees the video and recognizes themselves in it, we highly encourage them to contact our detectives and come forward," Aponte said.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Templeman of the Police Department's traffic investigations unit at (408) 277-4654.
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