Bicycle tragedy
Do Houston drivers hate cyclists? Another biker killed in hit-and-run accident
For the second time this month, the Houston Police Department is searching for an unknown driver blamed for fatally striking a cyclist and fleeing the scene.
Around 7 p.m. on Friday, a white vehicle struck and killed Stephen Belle as he crossed Normandy just north of the East Freeway on his bicycle. The victim, believed to be in his 30s, was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Witnesses say Belle was not at a crosswalk at the time of the accident, which remains under investigation according to HPD spokesperson Jodi Silva. The driver has not been identified.
The incident comes just weeks after a tragic hit-and-run claimed the life of Chelsea Norman — the 24-year-old Whole Foods staffer whose death became a rallying point for Houston cyclists to raise awareness of the city's still-struggling bike infrastructure.
Both accidents remain unsolved with few leads. Investigators ask anyone with information to contact HPD's Hit and Run Unit at 713-247-4065 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.