ATLANTA — A cyclist is recovering after being hurt in a hit-and-run on the Beltline, and Atlanta police are now working to identify the driver who left the scene.
The incident happened Wednesday evening near Woodward Avenue SE and Bill Kennedy Way SE, an area where designated lanes separate cyclists and pedestrians along the popular trail.
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Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter reported for Channel 2 Action News at 5:00 p.m. at the scene, where clearly marked crossings show how traffic is intended to flow.
The cyclist, identified as Brooks Payne, described the moment he was hit while riding through the Beltline near Madison Yards.
“I was on the bike… I was on the ground and then I got up,” Payne said.
He said the crash happened suddenly while he was traveling in the right-of-way.
“Some coming down toward Glenwood Avenue, I was going through Madison Yards in the right of way doing my thing and a car blew right through and hit me,” he said.
Payne obtained a video of the incident and shared it with Channel 2. The footage appears to show him riding along the Beltline moments before a silver vehicle strikes him.
Following the crash, Payne said the driver briefly spoke with him before fleeing the scene.
“It was me talking to this guy saying, ‘hey we need to get the police involved’ and he fled the scene,” Payne said.
He also showed injuries sustained in the crash, including visible bruising and a leg injury he estimated to be about four inches long.
“I got some beauty spots here and about 4 inches here across my leg,” he said.
The Atlanta Police Department confirmed it is investigating the hit-and-run. Payne says he is speaking out in hopes of raising awareness and helping identify the driver responsible.
“It sets a really dangerous precedent,” he said. “It could have been a lot worse.”
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