Atlanta police searching for driver who hit, killed cyclist

ATLANTA — Police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run of a cyclist that happened Sunday morning in Atlanta.

The victim was not crossing busy Cleveland Avenue when he was hit and killed, but on the sidewalk.

The car went across all four lanes, hit him on the sidewalk and went up and over the curb and ended up in the parking lot of an auto parts shop.

Atlanta police got the call around 1:15 a.m. Sunday.

Police said they arrested Roman Redding, 33, on charges of first-degree vehicular homicide and failure to maintain lane.  Redding is currently being treated at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Police said he will be taken to the Fulton County Jail when he is released from the hospital.

A witness said she tried to help the cyclist.

“I came over to him, tried to talk to him but he was gone,” said Desiree Mack.

Mack said she saw the hit-and-run driver immediately get out of the car and run away into some nearby woods, leaving the car behind.

"He didn't have on his shirt, had on red shorts, no shoes, and low cut, White male, and he just ran up that way. Surprised K-9 didn't get him because he couldn't have gone too far because he was too hurt. The way he was limping he was not good,” Mack said.

Investigators worked to process the scene to find out who the car belongs to and who was driving it.

"So they're going to be working through the leads and witnesses and all the evidence that's left on the scene and hopefully we'll be able to make an arrest on it very soon," Maj. Barry Shaw with the Atlanta Police Department said.

The medical examiner's office has identified the victim, but they're still trying to locate family members.