Man on a bike struck, killed in southwest Fresno, police say

A male bicyclist was killed Tuesday night in a crash that may have been caused after a driver was blinded by oncoming traffic.

Fresno police Lt. Jerardo Chamalbide said the crash happened in southwest Fresno around 6 p.m. on Church Avenue between Hughes and Marks avenues.

Chamalbide said the driver who struck the man told police she was driving west toward Marks Avenue when she was blinded by lights of an oncoming car before she struck the man. She pulled over after the crash.

Chamalbide said the man was riding his bike on the same lane as the driver.

Police could not confirm right away from which direction the man was hit. Police believe the man may have been avoiding water that covered the westbound shoulder of Church Avenue, likely from recent rains.

“The victim’s property is laying in the roadway, right by a big, large puddle. That leads us to believe that it might have occurred right there,” Chamalbide said.

The man’s name has not been released. Chamalbide said the man was wearing dark clothes at the time of the crash and his bicycle was a dark color. The area where he was struck is not well lit.

Chamalbide said police had some language difficulties communicating with the woman, who is Hmong. They did learn she was on her way home from work when the crash happened.