May 23, 2025 – Fresno Police Department officials report that on Sunday, May 11, 2025, just before 6:00 p.m., the Fresno Police Department received several reports of a hit and run traffic collision involving a vehicle versus bicyclist at Belmont Avenue and Thesta Street.  Police and emergency personnel responded and provided medical aid to the injured cyclist, who was transported to Community Regional Medical Center. Despite life-saving efforts, the cyclist was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Detectives from the Collision Reconstruction and Hit & Run Units investigated and began the search for the driver who left the scene without rendering aid to the cyclist. As detectives were on scene of the collision, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office received a tip regarding a subject who had told a citizen he had struck someone in Fresno. The tip included a description of the vehicle the subject left in, which matched the description of the vehicle involved in this hit and run.

Detectives investigated additional leads over the ensuing days and through the investigation, they were able to obtain a photograph of the damaged suspect vehicle and license plate. The license plate led to the discovery that the suspect vehicle had been involved in a second traffic collision, where he rear-ended a motorist outside of the City of Fresno almost an hour and half after the initial hit and run fatal collision.  The second collision was investigated by the California Highway Patrol.  Members of the California Highway Patrol arrested the suspect for charges including driving under the influence of alcohol.

Detectives were able to identify the suspect as being involved in the fatal hit and run collision and on May 21, 2025, they located and safely took the suspect into custody. The suspect was identified as Luis Ortiz, who was booked into the Fresno County Jail on various charges, including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony hit and run, and DUI causing injury.

Source & photo: Fresno Police Department