Rotterdam cyclist killed in hit-and-run; motorist arrested

A 39-year-old cyclist was hit by a car on Claes de Vrieselaan in Rotterdam on Tuesday evening. He died in hospital a short time later. The motorist that hit him fled the scene of the accident, but the police managed to arrest him later, the police said in a statement.

The hit-and-run happened at around 9:30 p.m. The cyclist was resuscitated at the scene and rushed to hospital. The man succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

The police sent a notification through citizens' alert system Burgernet, asking locals to keep an eye out for a gray Volkswagen Polo with damage to the front right. With the help of witnesses and camera footage, the police established that the motorist drove off towards Witte van Heemstedestraat after the accident. All available cops then started searching for the car in that direction.

The car was found parked in front of a home in Overschie at around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Its owner, a 38-year-old man from Rotterdam, was arrested. 

The police are investigating the accident and call on witnesses or anyone with camera footage of the incident - for example through surveillance cameras or dashcams - to come forward.