Family Of Cyclist Struck By Car Makes Public Plea

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in Westminster say they are sure the driver who struck and gravely injured a cyclist and kept driving last weekend would have known they hit something.

As David Hernandez struggles to survive at the hospital, his family is hoping someone with helpful information in the hit-and-run case will come forward.

Police say Hernandez was on his way home from work Saturday night at about 11 p.m. when he was hit. He was not wearing a helmet.

The 9900 block of Westminster Boulevard where Hernandez was riding is not well lit, doesn't have much of a shoulder and has only two car lanes, but Hernandez's family said he has been riding down that stretch of road to and from work for two years without incident.

Hernandez's bike was found about a thousand feet away from where the crash happened.

Police say it was likely dragged under the car.

A passerby found him in the middle of the road and stopped to resuscitate him.

"We believe that if that person hadn't stopped, David would actually be dead right now. Whoever that person is -- you're an angel to us," Hernandez's brother-in-law Vince Trujillo said.

Westminster police spokeswoman Cheri Spottke said they collected car parts from the crash scene and conclude that there is serious damage to the car that hit Hernandez.

"Whoever hit him knew," Spottke said.

"The headlight and then the hood area (were damaged)," Spottke said. "We've been able to narrow some of the parts down, and some others we haven't, and those parts are now conflicting. So that's what we're trying to figure out."

Hernandez was most recently listed as being in critical condition in the hospital. His family says he is in a coma and is on life support.

"David is a fighter. He has always been just a survivor. He has overcome many obstacles, and just in the (hospital) room he's given us signs he's continuing to fight," Trujillo said.

Anyone who has information that might be helpful to Westminster investigators in the case is asked to contact their office.